


Wherever The Road May Lead

by ashtraythief



Category: Supernatural RPF
Genre: Alternate Universe - Dragons, Alternate Universe - Fantasy, Dragon Riders, M/M, Minor Character Death, War
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-04-16
Updated: 2014-04-16
Packaged: 2018-01-19 16:02:07
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 8
Words: 54,794
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1475719
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ashtraythief/pseuds/ashtraythief
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>In the Republic of Nereya the dragons and their Riders keep the peace and protect the borders, while the Senate rules the lands. Jensen Ackles is the leader of the Black Wing, the most elite fighting squadron, until the day he and his two lieutenants are exiled.</p><p>With three of Nereya’s fiercest defenders banished, the men behind their downfall attempt to seize power. But they aren’t prepared for Jared Padalecki, a young Rider rising through the ranks, who’s never forgotten the principles and ideals Ackles stood for. When their country is under the rule of a corrupt dictatorship and on the brink of destruction, Jared leaves Nereya behind to find the only man who can restore the balance of power.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Prologue

**Author's Note:**

> Written for the dragonbigbang on LJ.
> 
> This story idea actually popped into my head two weeks before I saw the pimping post, so with that perfect timing, of course I had to sign up. Due to laptop problems, the muse taking a vacation and general procrastination, this was mainly written in late night sessions and only exists because I had amazing help by four incredible people.
> 
> Thanks to alezig and keep_waking_up for brainstorming, answering weird plot questions, handholding and being my personal name generators when my brain failed me. You guys are awesome. Ginormous thanks to my betas linvro21 and fiercelynormal, they made it all pretty and were endlessly patient with all my typos and weird German word concoctions. Thanks to all the guys for helping out with coding and italics and whatnot!
> 
> Thanks to our wonderful mod for hosting this challenge and being gracious enough to let us post late!
> 
> I also have to thank my non-fandom roommate Tangy, who is the love of my life. Not only is she very accepting of my kinkier hobbies, she also helped to plot this story and drew the [wonderful map](http://ic.pics.livejournal.com/ashtraythief/58705288/17537/17537_original.jpg) of this world (that I could only sketch out in the ugliest way possible). All my love for you, mein Herz.
> 
> Last but not least, thanks to my wonderful artist eosrose for picking my story and making wonderful art for it! She was incredibly patient understanding when it came to my lateness in posting and a pleasure to work with! Don’t forget to go to the [Art Masterpost](http://eosrose.livejournal.com/263983.html) and leave her all the love she deserves!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

    

 

 

 

 

_In the year 425 of the Republic_

 

“... and it is with great sorrow and a heavy heart that I announce this verdict. The council has discussed this matter intensely and thoroughly, since there is no precedent for anything of this sort ever happening in Nereya before. But after learning of what sacrilege they have committed, we have no choice but to sentence Captain Jensen Ackles, Lieutenant Danneel Harris, and Lieutenant Christian Kane to lifelong exile.”

Under no circumstances are you ever to set foot on our Republic's earth again, by penalty of death. You will be stripped of your titles, your assets will be seized, and you will not be allowed to carry more with you than the contents of one saddlebag.”

As they were accomplices, Tonayr, Shayleen, and Kahleya will be sentenced into exile with you.”

By the winds, so be it.”

 

The Great Hall of Law was shocked into silence. Even though some had expected it, no one had really believed it would happen. However, the word of the Council was law. In the over four hundred years of their Republic’s existence, the integrity of the Council had been sacrosanct. No one would ever dare to openly oppose a verdict passed by the council of judges and law-keepers, especially if it was reached in accordance with the High Priest.

The three convicts were still standing in front of the High Judge's podium, shoulders squared and heads held high. They had come dressed in their black parade uniforms, adorned with all their decorations and medals.

The three most valuable members of the Black Wing, exiled in one day.

It took the crowd a moment before the people voiced their disbelief, at first only a quiet murmuring, but the noise grew, rose up, and then shouting could be heard from high up the theater's ranks.

“Unjust!”

“Madness!”

“Outrageous!”

The First Judge angrily slammed the gavel. “Silence! This is a court of law, and you'll behave or be removed. This decision has not been made lightly. The chamber conferred extensively with the High Priest before reaching a decision. But one of our most ancient laws has been broken. The infraction has been great, and so the punishment must be as well.”

Five members of the Capital Guard stepped forward, but Kane shook his head. “No need, boys, we'll find the way out ourselves.”

“Yeah,” Harris added, almost casually, “but don't come running to us when the Republic falls apart and there's nothing left but burning ashes.”

The only one who didn't say anything was Ackles. He just turned around and fixed his eyes, green like his dragon's fire, on the crowd. His hard gaze swept over it once, and every single person in attendance would later swear that he'd looked straight at them.

Then he started walking, and the crowd parted before him. Kane and Harris followed, one step behind their leader, and in silence they crossed the floor. The people lowered their heads in deference and some were even crying. Only a few seemed satisfied with the verdict, but with the crowd's mood, they didn't dare to show it just yet. It would be a while before they'd be able to openly celebrate their victory.

For now, they would celebrate in secret. They would meet, in dark rooms and hidden corners, and congratulate themselves on a plan well executed. They would smile and drink and continue to scheme and to plot. And when the moment came in the near future to make their move, they would be able to do so unopposed. Their last hurdle, the last danger, had been Ackles and his confidants, now they could move forward.

They were standing spread out in the back and as they watched the angry and upset crowd linger and argue, not one of them saw stormy multi-colored eyes, just as ever-changing as a dragon's, fixed firmly on the great doors the exiled had just walked through.

Not one of them saw a wide mouth press into a thin line, saw large hands ball into tight fists or adolescent shoulders tense and hunch.

Not one of them saw it, and yet they should have.

 

 

  

 

 

 

 

 

  
[ ](http://ic.pics.livejournal.com/ashtraythief/58705288/17537/17537_original.jpg)

click on map for full-size pic


	2. First Arc: Part One

 

 

  
  
  
  
  


 

 

 

 

 

  
  
_In the year 426 of the Republic_  
  
  
  
Jared was woken by the summer sun shining on his face. With a low groan, he sat up, clutching his pounding head. Miserably, he crawled out of his bedding and over to the wash-basin. He dunked his whole head in the cool water, and when he pulled out and sucked in a deep breath, he felt slightly better.  
  
There was a deep rumble from outside and, over the link connecting their minds, he heard Haylee chuckle.  
  
 _You knew this would happen. Because it happens every time Chad says ‘just one more drink’._  
  
Jared grumbled and broadcasted just how irritated he was at her snarky comment over their link. He opened the small hatch in the stony ground and reached in to pull out a bottle of apple juice. It was the last one for this month, but Jared needed something sugary now. It was his go-to hangover fix, and ever since the trading routes had dried up, fruit and honey were the only ways to get a sweet treat.  
  
After he’d quenched his burning thirst, he stumbled outside to wash himself. Haylee followed him, and her nostrils flickered delicately.  
  
 _Good idea. You reek._  
  
Jared threw his towel at her and stumbled into the river, shedding his tunic in the process. He still wasn't awake enough to deal with his dragon's know-it-all attitude.  
  
He slipped on the smooth stones lining the bank, didn't even try to regain his balance, and just let himself fall backwards into the water. Not very graceful, but right now, he really didn't care. Besides, it wasn't like anyone expected anything different from Jared Padalecki, clumsiest Rider to ever walk the earth.  
  
It wasn't an exaggeration. When Jared had announced for the first time he was going to become a Rider – he’d just turned five – his parents had smiled indulgently. When he’d still insisted on becoming one at the age of twelve, they had exchanged concerned looks. Jared knew that they'd just wanted to spare him the disappointment of not getting picked, or even worse, the humiliation of not making it up the mountain. If he _did_ make it up and was picked, it would be a huge honor for his family, but it would also mean that Jared would join the aerial division of the Republic’s army. His parents weren’t fond of the idea of Jared going into battle.  
  
For Jared, though, it had never even been a question. It was the highest honor to be chosen by a dragon, and to serve and protect Nereya with the majestic creatures that had made the founding of their Republic possible.  
  
Jared had made it up the mountain, and he’d been chosen. He looked over to where Haylee was lounging on a giant rock, just enjoying the late summer sun, bright rays setting her bronze scales aflame, and his thoughts wandered back to the day over two years ago when they’d found each other.  
  


 

 

  
  
  
  
_In the Year of the Republic 424_  
  
  
Children were eligible for bonding from the age of fourteen, but only a few dared to ascend the mountain when they were that young. Like most of his peers, Jared had been too scrawny and too short. He’d wanted to attempt the climb when he was fifteen, but his mother had been very sick and he'd needed to stay home and look after his younger sister. His parents had assured him that he could go the next year, but when Jared had been sixteen, he'd broken his leg one week before the ceremonies. Once again, he'd been forced to stay at home.  
  
When he finally got to scale the mountain at seventeen, he had still been lanky, knees knobbly and elbows sharp, with no trace of the grace that all Riders seemed to possess. Quite a few people had shaken their heads but their doubt had only made him more determined. So, with about a hundred other teenagers ranging from fourteen to nineteen, he’d climbed the mountain.  
  
Not everyone succeeded in reaching the top; they never did.  
  
When they slowly, one after another, reached the high plateau, the wind tugging on their clothes and blowing their hair into their faces, they waited.  
  
It wasn't long before the first shadowy forms appeared on the horizon, the dragons just as eager to find their other half.  
  
It was overwhelming to see all those majestic creatures circling the top of the mountain, looking for the one human they could bond with. Their scales glinted in the sun, the more subdued browns and grays the most prevalent, along with some bright red or green.  
  
After a while, Jared's eyes and mind adjusted and he realized how young most of these dragons were. They were smaller than those already flying in the Wings, less graceful and less coordinated.  
  
Just like us, he thought, and that realization gave him more confidence.  
  
His confidence dwindled when all around him dragons started to land and approach other kids, none of them even looking in his direction. Some of them went towards wide-eyed children, who were suddenly frozen to the spot, but others only looked around briefly before flying off again.  
  
Jared was just about to resign himself to the fact that he would belong to the majority of kids who had to climb down the mountain on their own when a new dragon showed up in the sky.  
  
He sucked in a deep breath when he saw the huge wings, but when the dragon flew closer, he had to suppress a grin. The dragon’s body was very small and the distorted proportions made it look a bit like a bat, flapping through the sky. It was a beautiful bronze color, and landed only a few yards away from him, stumbling slightly when it tried to fold in its overgrown wings, the tips still dragging over the ground. It held its head high, showcasing the seven beautiful horns adorning it which grew slightly curved from the back of its head. The horn in the middle was shorter, the ones flanking it longer, before they tapered off to smaller spikes spanning a small ridge to the side of its head. The dragon’s head was broad, with big eyes and a slim face, ending in a cute, beak-like snout.  
  
Jared could see one boy – still dragonless – shoot the new dragon a disdainful look, as if having no dragon was better than having that one, and he saw how the dragon lowered its head in embarrassment.  
  
Jared's feet started moving before he realized what he was doing. Potential Riders never approached a dragon. It was the dragons who had inherited the old magic and who knew instinctively who was their very own human. But when Jared saw the dragon and how it looked so small and insecure in its own body, he knew exactly how it felt.  
  
When he came closer, its head shot up and it fixed its large, unblinking eyes on him. They were a dark yellow, a dragon’s default color, with a hint of darker sadness in them. Jared stopped dead in his tracks.  
  
“I'm sorry,” he said, realizing just what he was doing. “I'm so sorry. I didn't mean to impose.”  
  
The dragon kept staring at him, and Jared couldn't move. There was something in the way she was looking at him, something hopeful.  
  
Humans couldn't read a dragon's facial expressions very well unless they were a Rider, and Jared didn't even know how he knew this dragon was a she – it wasn't like they had external markers – but he knew, and he was still frozen to the spot.  
  
Then she moved, taking two steps towards him, before she stopped again and looked at him. Jared felt hope, and it wasn’t only his own.  
  
He took two steps of his own, and then she closed the distance between them completely. Slowly, Jared reached out his hand and put it on her snout. The scales there were surprisingly soft. When she closed her eyes and he hesitantly started rubbing the scales, a low rumble came out of her chest.  
  
Jared grinned. His dragon was just as cuddly and touchy-feely as he was.  
  
His dragon! Jared startled and looked at her in renewed wonder. The dragon opened her eyes and leaned in close, pressing her whole head against Jared's body. The gesture was so intimate, Jared put his arms around her head and hugged her close.  
  
They stood like that for a while and Jared could feel something shift. It was like a door in his mind – or maybe his heart – had opened and something new had entered. It was a new presence, full of warmth, comfort and familiarity.  
  
He opened himself to it further, bathed in it, and the next time she rumbled, Jared understood. It wasn't words – there couldn't be without the ritual sealing their fate – but there were emotions, hesitance, doubt and insecurity, but also hope. Jared heard the question in them.  
  
“Yeah,” he said. “My name is Jared Padalecki and nothing would honor me more than to be your Rider.”  
  
Joy flooded through him and Jared laughed. This was, without a doubt, the happiest day of his life.  
  
When they broke apart, Jared suddenly noticed the rest of the world again. All of the newly bonded had already left, and most of the other kids had started the climb down already. Only a few, still hopeful, were sitting on the boulders, watching the sky and hoping another dragon would come.  
  
Most of them were older. This was their last chance to get picked, so they waited. One of them, Richard Le Kerk, shot Jared a disdainful look.  
  
“Well, this makes me really glad I didn't get picked.”  
  
Jared felt like he'd been punched in the gut, until he realized that the sadness and the shame were coming from his dragon; he was only feeling anger.  
  
“It's hard to find out that there's finally something your daddy’s money can't buy you, isn't it?” Jared bit out.  
  
Richard was the son of one of the richest merchants and his father had paid for the best teachers to prepare his boy to become a Rider, the ultimate honor a family could achieve.  
  
Jared just wanted to fly and protect their country. To him, that was more important.  
  


 

 

 

__In the year 426 of the Republic__  
  
  
It still made him smile, how they’d found each other. Their story was nothing extraordinary, but it was nevertheless the best thing that had ever happened to Jared. Sure, it would have been nice if their story had become one of those legends children reenacted in the streets but, for Jared, it had never been about that. Climbing the mountain and becoming a Rider had always been about him and his dragon flying for their country. If glory happened to fall upon them, he wouldn’t deny it, but wouldn’t chase after it either.  
  
The bonding itself was a simple process. The children scaled the mountain, the dragons came, and if they were a match, the dragons would land and take their chosen down to the ground, where they would join the Wings to fly for the Republic. Every bonding was something special of course, and each year there were only between ten and fifteen kids who were found by their dragon and joined the Riders in order to protect Nereya’s borders and keep order in the realm.  
  
Sometimes though, true legends were born.  
  
Those stories were told every year in spring before the bonding ceremony, again and again, like the story of Jessie, whose dragon had just picked him up and flown them away, never to return.  
  
Or like Danneel Harris, whose father had forbidden her from climbing the mountain, because he thought it was inappropriate for girls. A day later, a giant shadow had fallen over their village and a red, riderless dragon had landed in the village square, shooting balls of fire into the sky until Danneel came running out of her house. They had taken off before her father had been able to utter a single word and had been welcomed in the capital with open arms.  
  
Then there was the story of Jensen Ackles, already a legend even though it had occurred only ten years ago. His story was so singular that no one would ever forget it.  
  
Jensen Ackles had climbed the mountain only a few short months after his fourteenth birthday. All the dragons that had flown in had given him a wide berth, but even when night fell he’d remained on the mountain. The next morning, one of the older Riders had wanted to fly up to get him – sometimes the kids were so disappointed they couldn't make the climb down – but just as the sun had risen, a dragon had appeared in the sky.  
  
The red sun had thrown a glowing halo around the dark figure, and only the Riders who'd been with the corps for longer than a decade had recognized the giant black dragon as the young dragonling that had left Dragonvalley after unsuccessfully searching for a Rider for four years. Usually the dragons who left after not finding a Rider while they were young never returned.  
  
They became wilders, dragons who roamed the earth, usually living in mountains or other uninhabitable areas and becoming cold and indifferent over time as the magic in them died down without a Rider’s bond to keep it alive. They became mere animals.  
  
Somehow, Tonayr had known his Rider was already out there, born on the same stormy night the dragon had hatched, in the first year of the new century. The thunderstorm of the century had ripped through the sky, destroying houses and crops and flooding the fields, when Donna Ackles had given birth to her only son.  
  
When Jensen had named his dragon Tonayr at the ceremony, after the thunder under which he’d been born, no one had been surprised. When Tonayr had spewed green fire for the first time, the generals had been elated. A Green Fire hadn’t been sighted in centuries, and it was the most powerful weapon they could have against their enemies; the flame burned hotter and longer, and was able to set any material aflame. When Jensen had defended an outpost against a surprise attack without a senior officer present, he had become the youngest lieutenant in their country’s recorded history.  
  
He’d been only twenty then, the same age Jared was now, but he'd already been a member of the Black Wing, their elite fighting squadron. It had only taken him two more years to rise from lieutenant to captain, leading the whole Wing.  
  
He’d been a brilliant strategist, strong and fierce just like his dragon, and together they’d made a pair the likes of which hadn't been seen since the Republic’s first war. People had expected great things.  
  
Jared had seen Jensen up close for the first time at the New Year's festivities, when the fires had blazed up high into the sky. Jensen had been wearing the black parade uniform with the long Rider's coat and Jared had never seen someone so beautiful in all his life. It had occurred to him then that he might have a small crush.  
  
Not that anything would ever come of it. It wasn't the guy thing, because while homosexuality was usually ostracized in the general population, Riders were the exception. People might still eye them critically, but everyone knew that Riders rarely had children and also knew that the compatibility of the dragons played a huge role.  
  
No, Jared had known he didn't have a chance in hell with Jensen Ackles, because Jensen was a hero and Jared was a young, inexperienced Rider, just as uncoordinated and overgrown as his dragon. He would never make it past the rank of a simple soldier.  
  
And that was okay. Even if Jared had always dreamed of being a hero and going on great adventures – who didn't? – he’d made peace with his life. He loved Haylee dearly and there wasn't a moment in which he wished another dragon had picked him. They were perfect for each other. If that meant he would hopelessly pine after Jensen Ackles for the rest of his life, then so be it.  
  
All of that had become completely irrelevant when the Court of Justice had banned Jensen and his two lieutenants the following spring.  
  
It had been a farce and Jared wasn’t the only one who thought so. The Court had adhered to the old archaic customs, which were completely impractical. What should Ackles and his lieutenants have done when a village on the fringes of the Republic was attacked? Should they have waited for the Fertility Rites, during which no weapon was to be raised, to pass? Should they have waited for the intruders to pillage and burn that town, and rape and slaughter the people living there? If they had waited for the next day, they wouldn’t have found anything but smoldering ash and crying children. They had done the right thing, and yet they had been punished.  
  
It had been two years since Jared had stood in the Great Hall and watched the three Riders walk out of the Hall, out of the Capital, and out of the Republic. No one knew where they’d gone. There were rumors, stories, but no one knew for sure, and every message of their return was just a false alarm. They had been exiled, and they weren’t coming back.  
  
It hadn’t taken long for things to change. In retrospect, it was clear that the scheming had begun long before Jensen and his companions had been exiled, but Jared had been younger then, and had had no knowledge of politics. Those in charge hadn’t seen the danger, maybe hadn’t wanted to, hadn’t wanted to believe their Republic could fall apart or that the democracy they were so proud of was actually fallible.  
  
Mark Pellegrino, who had been had been elected Dragon Consul to the Senate the first time in the summer before Ackles had been exiled, was still in office. He was serving his third consecutive term now, even though it was supposed to be a one-year position only. However, they had announced the state of emergency when the border raids had turned into an almost-war and Pellegrino had stayed in office. These days, the Senate pretended they still had the power, but the Senators, elected from the ranks of families who owned a seat in the Senate, were little more than puppets under the Triumvirate led by Pellegrino.  
  
Haylee pulled him out of his dark thoughts when her wings swooshed over his head.  
  
 _Stop thinking about it. There’s nothing we can do. It’s the first time we’ve had a day off in weeks; let’s fly up into the mountains and just get some peace and quiet. We both need that._  
  
Jared nodded ruefully and walked back to his little hut. The space between the Riders’ dwellings was large enough to accommodate their dragons’ massive size, and their living grounds were miles from the city, on an elevated plane leading up to the mountain range. It offered enough even ground to house the entire White Wing and, if need be, another two Wings passing through.  
  
Jared ducked into his hut, which was the same small one-room structure all low-ranking Riders lived in. He opened the chest at the end of his cot and took his uniform out. Riders didn’t wear anything flashy in everyday life; sturdy dark boots, brown pants, a white tunic and a vest, and over it their long coat, padded with wool to keep them warm high up in the air. His status as a member of the White Wings was identified by the insignia stitched onto the vest, a white vertical stripe.  
  
When he was dressed he stepped over to his little table, took a waterskin, some bread, and the book he’d started to read, then went back outside, climbed on Haylee’s back, and they were off.  
  
On days without training, she didn’t wear any gear. He didn’t need it to stay on her back when they were taking a simple flight up the mountain. The straps were only there for fights or when Haylee flew maneuvers, so Jared wouldn’t plummet to the ground when she corkscrewed.  
  
The cold wind in his face did wonders for his still-aching head, but Jared couldn’t wait to get away from it all. They neared their favorite spot, but there was already a hulking shape sprawled out there.  
  
 _Slink._  
  
Jared nodded. The shape of Chad’s dragon was unmistakable; he was the only dragon with three huge horns on his head, one of which was slightly crooked to the side. Oh, well. Jared guessed he could relax with his best friend there as well. Haylee landed more or less gracefully next to Slink, and the blue dragon shifted his tail to make space for her. As soon as Haylee had landed, Jared slid down her side. Chad was lying across Slink’s back in his usual suffering hangover pose, and Jared decided to do like his friend and escape his still-pounding headache by taking a nap.  
  


 

 

  
  
  
  
Jared was dozing peacefully, propped up against Haylee’s leg, when the noise of flapping wings pulled him out of his relaxed state. Slink and Haylee had somehow tangled themselves up in each other, sharing body heat, and Chad was lying on his dragon’s back, snoring not-so-softly. As a matter of fact, most times people thought it was the dragon snoring when it was actually Chad who sounded like he was sawing off an entire forest.  
  
Jared looked up in time to see Darayn’s sleek grey body land. Genevieve jumped off her dragon’s back even before his wings were folded in completely and stomped over to them.  
  
“They did it,” she snapped. “I can’t believe it, but they actually did it!”  
  
Jared looked over at her quizzically. “Who did what?”  
  
“The Senate banned female Riders. Girls are no longer allowed to climb the mountain.”  
  
“What?” Jared was immediately fully awake. So was Haylee. She snapped her head around so fast that her whole body jostled, throwing Jared off his pillow.  
  
Slink moved just as fast and Chad almost fell of his dragon’s back. “What’s happening?”  
  
“No more female Riders,” Jared said incredulously, while Gen paced back and forth like a caged animal.  
  
“But that’s stupid,” Chad said, looking completely puzzled. “Being a Rider has nothing to do with being a man or a woman. It’s about getting chosen.”  
  
“I know,” Gen ground out, throwing her hands up. “But the Senate said something about ‘dwindling birth rates’ and a ‘decrease in population growth’ and whatnot. Apparently women need to stay home and pop out babies.”  
  
Haylee snorted and smoke curled from her nostrils.  
  
 _That’s silly. And it still doesn’t make sense. Dragons won’t stop picking girls, just because the Senate doesn’t want them to. Dragons pick whomever the magic tells them to._  
  
“Yeah,” Jared agreed. “I mean, think of how Danneel Harris was picked. Shayleen came into her village because the pull between them was so strong. How can they think this will work?”  
  
“I don’t know, Jay,” Gen said, and her shoulders slumped. “But people… they agree. Someone actually told me that, if it wouldn’t mean the loss of my dragon, I should quit being a Rider, get myself a husband and start getting pregnant. What’s wrong with people? I could never give up Darayn! That would be like giving up half of myself!”  
  
Darayn’s long, spiked tail wrapped carefully around Gen’s back and her shoulder, and she leaned into her dragon’s touch. “I couldn’t even stay until the end of the session, I was so mad. I mean, all those poor girls who’ll never be able to have this!”  
  
 _All these poor dragons, who’ll never find their Rider._ Haylee related Darayn’s words to Jared. Dragons could only speak to their own Riders, but if the occasion called for it, Haylee would let Jared in on what she was hearing from the other dragons.  
  
Chad climbed down Slink’s back and shook his head. “I don’t get it. They have to know how stupid this is. I mean, Pellegrino is a megalomaniac freak, but he _is_ a Rider.”  
  
Gen looked around, as if to make sure no one else was listening. “I think he’s going mad. I mean, the way he’s talking and behaving, it’s like he’s lost all touch with reality. The fighting has moved further down South and it’s getting worse, there are new attacks daily, and he-”  
  
“What? Where in the South?” Jared interrupted her. Panic was creeping up his spine, and Haylee pushed closer, sending him comfort and calm over their link.  
  
“Close to Beylint,” Gen said.  
  
Jared froze. Beylint. That was only fifty miles from where his family lived.  
  
 _They’ll be fine._ Haylee tried to reassure them. _There’s a Rider Aerie nearby. If something happens, they’ll be there to protect them. And it’s Ferris’ Wing. She doesn’t mess around._  
  
“Yeah, you’re right,” Jared said. Haylee had a point. Sam Ferris and the Second Red Wing were only ten miles away from where he’d grown up, and she was one of the best Wing Leaders in the border regions. His family would be fine. They _had_ to be.  
  
Gen finally sat down. For the rest of the afternoon they talked about the Senate’s new law, and how it would affect the Wings. There was nothing good about it, but with the way things had been going lately, that wasn’t really a surprise.  
  
When the sun started to set, another pair of wings darkened the horizon. This time it was Aldis and his dragon, Laydon. Aldis’s face was stormy, and Laydon flapped his wings harshly, his body so tense that he projected his anger for miles. Laydon’s powerful wings swirled up dust from the ground when he landed. He was already one of the biggest dragons in their Wing, even though he would likely continue to grow for a few more years. His massive legs hit the ground with deep thumps, and then Aldis slid down his dragon’s dark green scales.  
  
They watched him dismount in silence, and Aldis plopped down in their little circle, Laydon crouching down behind them.  
  
Their dragons were now forming a circle around them, tails intertwining, legs brushing against each other and heads resting on shoulders. They had all hatched the same summer and had grown up together and picked their Riders in the course of the same two years. Their Riders’ friendship had brought them even closer together, and since dragons tended to express their emotions with body language and touch, they were usually curled up in each other somehow.  
  
“So,” Aldis started. “I assume Gen filled you in on the new edict?”  
  
“Oh yeah,” Jared said grimly, and behind him Haylee and Slink grumbled.  
  
Aldis nodded grimly. “That’s not all. I stayed to the end of the session, and you won’t believe what happened.”  
  
“I doubt it could be worse,” Gen said, and Darayn snorted out a puff of smoke.  
  
“I don’t know if it’s worse,” Aldis said, “but it’s nothing good, that’s for sure.”  
  
 _Pellegrino got himself a new title._ Haylee relayed, mimicking Laydon’s voice and making it full of disdain.  
  
“Title?” Chad asked. “What title?” Apparently Slink was keeping Chad in the loop as well.  
  
Aldis smiled, and it wasn’t a happy one. “First Protector of the Realm.”  
  
Slink guffawed. He turned his head away at the last second, so the acid spewing from his nostrils hit the stony ground and not Jared.  
  
“That’s ridiculous,” Gen said. “But it’s just a name…”  
  
“No,” Aldis said, and his face was hard. “The title means he gets complete executive power for the next year. The Senate will still do all the governing, but he has absolute veto power. No law will pass if he doesn’t want it to.”  
  
“Shit,” Jared breathed out, and Haylee echoed the sentiment in his head.  
  
“Yeah,” Aldis continued. “He’ll also be able to bring every bill up to vote without going through the usual channels first.”  
  
“And let me guess,” Gen asked harshly, “he can make the Senators approve it?”  
  
Aldis nodded. “Well, not really, but if he and the Consul both say yes, the law is approved. And since Heyerdahl is nothing more than his puppet…”  
  
“But Heyerdahl's service will be over in two months and they’ll elect a new Consul for the Senate.”  
  
“No. ‘Because in these great times of trouble, we need stability.’” Aldis imitated Pellegrino’s fake-serious voice perfectly. “‘We need people who know what has to be done, how to get it done, without hesitation. We need experienced leaders. This is not the time for political experiments.’”  
  
“Political experiments? Are you fucking kidding me?” Jared had thought it couldn’t get worse, but really, that took the cake.  
  
 _The worst thing is, people actually buy this bullshit,_ Laydon said, once again related to Jared through Haylee. _When Pellegrino proposed that, when necessary, a Consul could be re-elected up to five times in a row in times of war and unrest, they almost unanimously agreed._  
  
 _The laws are there for a reason,_ Haylee said in a ringing voice, and Jared knew the other dragons would let their Riders know what she was talking about. _They’re there to protect us from tyrants and autocrats, to make sure the people who rule do it for the citizens’ sakes and not to enrich themselves or seize more power. Pellegrino is eroding the whole system. Pretty soon, we’ll be a monarchical kingdom like all the countries around us. And if the power of the Wings falls into the wrong hands…_  
  
They were silent for a moment. Haylee was right, of course. When the Riders had been established, all of their neighbors had feared they would build an empire, expand and conquer. The Riders had argued they were there for the people, not a monarch’s hunger for power. Their bond with the dragons stemmed from old magic, channelled for the greater good so long ago that no one knew how it had happened. For centuries, lone Riders and their dragons had used their powers to protect the weak and fight for the oppressed, with honor and duty as their motto. When their numbers had grown and they’d formed an alliance, they had inevitably clashed with the ruling family. When the Riders had refused to serve the king, instead protecting the people from his misrule, the country had been pushed to the brink of a civil war. To avoid bloodshed, the Riders had taken over, but had immediately given the land back to the people, establishing the Republic against the will of the last king. The Riders and their dragons, the religious leaders and the nobles and merchant elites had carefully crafted a constitution together.  
  
The Senate was formed and each of the leading families received a seat in it. The families could decide which of their children would be sent to serve in the Senate; that way, not the first born would became a politician, but the one best suited. The position didn’t bring any money, the only incentive would be to do good. The Senate elected its leader and officers on a yearly basis, so no one could gain too much power, and the Consulate, the highest office, was occupied by one Senator and one Rider, to assure the link between Senate and the Wings. The system had worked for over four centuries, and now it looked like Pellegrino was bringing it down.  
  
“This damn war needs to end,” Chad grumbled. “Maybe then people will come back to their senses.”  
  
“Or he’ll have enriched so many of his followers and redistributed power so much that it won’t matter,” Gen interjected.  
  
“The Wings will never stand for this. As soon as the war is over, they’ll make this right,” Jared said.  
  
Gen looked at him skeptically. “Pellegrino has many friends in the Wings. He promoted a lot of his people and he’s given them land, meaning a lot of their children will get seats in the Senate. If it continues like this… I don’t know.””  
  
With a thud, Chad let himself fall back against Slink’s flank. “What a fucking mess.”  
  
“Truer words have never been spoken, my friend,” Aldis said.  
  
The rest of the evening, they sat in silence.  


 

 

 

  
  
The next day, they left early. Since the fighting had picked up, more and more patrols were needed.  
  
A dragon’s and Rider’s training used to take three years, not only because of the physical aspects and the weapons training, but the strengthening of their bond and living together, so they could move and react as one during a fight. The dragon needed to be able to listen to the Rider’s orders and the Rider had to be able to analyze all the other sensory information from the dragon in order for them to form an effective unit.  
  
There was also the formation training of the Wing itself. It wasn’t easy to coordinate ten dragons with their giant wings into a flexible, fast, and tight formation that could take out a whole army without getting hurt.  
  
However, shortly after Jensen Ackles and his lieutenants had been exiled, the fighting had started, cutting Jared’s training short.  
  
At first, it was only raids, little groups crossing from the neighboring countries over their border to loot and steal, but the situation escalated quickly, the attacks becoming more frequent. Then Deorn was the first of their neighboring countries to declare war because of a border dispute. It was like they were testing the Republic’s strength now that its most fearsome dragon and Rider were gone - and the Republic failed. Jared hadn’t thought that one man and his dragon could be so integral to a political system, a system he’d been taught his whole life was above one single person. But corruption and pettiness, complacency and indolence had taken hold in the shadow of the Republic’s growing prosperity and it had been all too easy for Pellegrino and his accomplices to seize power.  
  
It actually helped Pellegrino that they were more or less at war with two different nations, all claiming the Republic had unlawfully extended their territory. Nereya had never needed a strong leader more than it did now, and Pellegrino managed to present himself as the obvious choice.  
  
With war declared, the raids increased even more, which in turn led to many merchants avoiding Nereya. In the beginning, it was only luxury goods the rich were missing, but now it was tools, cloth, and other essentials. The fields were burned more and more, and food had become scarce. Last winter, Nereya had suffered from its first famine in over thirty-five years.  
  
So, when Jared had been in training for not even two years, he and his training group had been ordered away from the training grounds and had become part of the First White Wing under the command of Lieutenant Williams and his dragon, Ryfen.  
  
Williams was a hard-ass and didn’t go easy on them just because they had been pulled from training early. The White Wings usually didn’t see a lot of fighting, which was why Jared and his peers had been assigned there.  
  
The White Wings were sometimes called the Keepers of the Peace, because they handled the Republic’s domestic affairs, such as dealing with criminals and internal disputes and providing protection for merchant caravans traveling through their lands. In times of need, they were pulled into border patrols as well.  
  
The color guard didn’t like the White Wing infringing on their business. Four Wings - Blue up north, Green to the east, Red down South, and Yellow in the west - made up the color guard stationed along the borders. They accepted help from the Black Wing, the elite fighters, because they were the ones always on the forefront of the fighting, but nowadays the White Wing had a reputation as an instrument for the politicians. When Jared and his Wing had started going on patrols, the welcome had ranged from indifference to outright hostility.  
  
Jared and his friends had been lucky. Their first patrols were uneventful and their first brush with death had been a fight which was already over. The Third Green Wing, stationed on the eastern border, had fought off a band of marauders attacking a merchant convoy, and when the First White Wing had landed, the marauders had either been dead or were on the run, being pursued by half of the Third Green Wing. Their duty had been to clean up, eliminate all the traces of the fight, help the wounded, and bury the dead. None of the Riders had been killed, but the ground was still littered with the dead, raiders and merchants lying next to each other.  
  
Jared still remembered dismounting from Haylee’s back and looking around at the death and destruction, his eyes getting stuck on the most random details; a hat lying several feet next to its owner’s head, a blood-drenched cloak hanging from a tree branch, a pair of unseeing eyes in a charred face. Next to him, Chad had puked his guts out, while Gen had been frozen to the spot. Aldis was the first of the new recruits to move. He’d knelt down next to the man with the unseeing eyes and had closed them with a swipe of his hand. It wasn’t until Haylee brought him out of his trance that Jared could move.  
  
Sergeant Sali, Williams’s second-in-command, had given them orders. Together with Aldis and Traci, one of the older Riders, Jared had gathered up the enemy’s dead in an open grave. The dragons had burned the bodies afterward.  
  
That night, they had gotten drunk. The next morning, they had gone back to their daily routine, but things had changed. Chad made fewer jokes, Gen’s eyes were harder than before, and the older Riders in their Wing stopped calling them “birdies”.  
  
They hadn’t fought yet, but they’d seen more of death than a person ever should.  
  
The first time they’d really fought, Jared had been lucky again. It was only a small skirmish. There had been reports of bandits in the area, and when they’d checked it out, they had found a group of about fifteen men getting ready to attack a small farming settlement. They had been no match for the entire First White Wing. The dragons had taken care of almost every threat before the Riders had dismounted to kill the last of the remaining bandits.  
  
The memories were hazy. Jared remembered that day only in bits and pieces, too hopped up on adrenaline to have a coherent memory. He’d faced one of the bandits, drawn his sword, and engaged him in a fight. The bandit clearly wasn’t as skilled as Jared with a long blade, and Jared had disarmed him easily, going through the training motions for the first time in a real fight. His movements had been automatic, his arms carrying out the parry sequences without his mind having to think about it. Thrust, parry, lunge, thrust. Suddenly, his sword hit soft resistance and Jared watched in horror as the bandit’s eyes widened and he stumbled back, sliding off Jared’s blade with a dark spot blossoming over his chest.  
  
The man had fallen down, a weak groan leaving him. Jared had stared, not knowing how he should feel now that he’d taken a man’s life. He had been sure that it wasn’t supposed to be this cold numbness spreading through him.  
  
Then Haylee had been there, a warm presence in his mind and behind his back, he’d felt her fire-warmed breath.  
  
 _He was the enemy._  
  
Jared had shaken his head. For dragons, living and dying, killing and fighting, it was all black and white.  
  
 _I took a life,_ he had said, and he’d known that even though she wasn’t of the same mind, she still understood what he felt.  
  
 _You’re a warrior now. It’s not going to be easy, but it’s the right path for you. Otherwise I wouldn’t have chosen you._  
  
Jared hadn’t answered, but he didn’t need to. Haylee had spoken the truth. Even though it might feel impossible now, this was his place.  
  
  
  
If Jared had thought the killing would become easier over time, he’d been wrong. Every life he took, every skirmish or battle he fought, cut just as deep as the first one.  
  
 _I think it’s supposed to be that way,_ Haylee had said late one night when Jared couldn’t fall asleep, plagued by the memories of another fight. _It’s what makes you human. It’s what keeps me from becoming an animal._  
  
 _I just wish it wasn’t so hard_ , he thought back at her. _When I dreamed of being a Rider as a little kid, it was a great adventure. Nothing like this._  
  
 _You humans,_ Haylee snorted. _Always so romantic. This is how it is, Jared. This is our way. Your dream might not have turned out exactly how you envisioned it, but you’re still doing what you always wanted to do. You’re flying with a dragon. You're protecting the realm. What else do you want?_  
  
For the first time in a long time, Jared smiled. Haylee was right. Just because it wasn’t all cookies and roses didn’t mean it wasn’t what he’d always and still wanted to do. Sometimes he just needed her to pull his head out of his ass.  
  
“Well,” he said out loud, “someone to share my bed with might be nice.”  
  
Haylee’s tail flicked against the back of his head. _If you weren’t so hung up on Ackles, there’d be plenty of people out there willing._  
  
“Plenty?” Jared asked. He had noticed one of the medic-in-trainings’ interest, but that was about it.  
  
 _Humans,_ Haylee said again, and Jared could practically hear the eyeroll. _I can smell their lust. Trust me, you have your pick. Next time, I’ll point one of them out to you._  
  
“You’re trying to set me up?”  
  
 _Well, apparently sex is important for humans. At least that’s what Slink says. Although I’m not quite sure you should follow Chad’s example._  
  
“Eww, no.” Chad got around so much, Jared was surprised he hadn’t caught a disease yet. Definitely not something Jared wanted to accomplish. “But you might be right about not pining after Ackles anymore. I mean, he’s never coming back, and I don’t really wanna be a virgin for the rest of my life.”  
  
 _I’m always right,_ was Haylee’s only comment, but she wrapped her wings carefully around Jared. With the low, slow thump of her heartbeat so close to his ear and her body heat keeping him warmer than any blanket ever could, Jared fell asleep.  
  


 

 

  
  
  
“Did you hear?” Gen asked in a quiet voice.  
  
The morning was cold, dew clinging to the grass. It was still fall, but the nights were growing colder fast now. It wouldn’t be long until the first frost.  
  
“No. What’s going on now?” Jared asked.  
  
They were standing in front of the the White Wing’s common hall, ready to have breakfast and get their assignment for the day.  
  
Gen’s face was grim, a tight line around her mouth. It was her default setting these days. Jared missed the times when Gen’s lips had done nothing but smile.  
  
“The northern trading post was burned,” she said, staring out into the fields. “Wiped out, from what I heard. Apparently Deorn sent a small division of their army for a blitz attack. The Second Blue Wing flew over as soon as they saw the smoke in the sky, but by then it was too late.”  
  
Jared swallowed. So many people had died, again. The son of his hometown’s blacksmith had gone to the northern trading post not long before Jared became a Rider. He wondered if Hank had survived, but he doubted it. Deorn, the country on their northern border, had been merciless in the war so far, the fear of the dragons driving them to strike more harshly and cruelly than ever seen before, not even sparing children.  
  
“I don’t get it,” Jared said angrily. “Why weren’t they patrolling there? Of course Deorn would attack the trading post as soon as it was unprotected.”  
  
Gen shrugged her shoulders grimly. “Nothing they do these days make sense.”  
  
Aldis and Chad chose that moment to show up for breakfast. “What are we talking about?” Chad asked.  
  
A few months ago, Chad would have mocked them for pulling a face or for standing out in the cool air when they could be inside devouring breakfast, but things had changed. Their formerly very filling breakfast buffet shrunken down to the bare basics was only one of the more noticable things.  
  
“The northern trading post,” Gen explained.  
  
The expression on Chad’s and Aldis’ faces told Jared that they already knew.  
  
“Let’s have breakfast and find out what we’re gonna do about this mess,” Jared said and walked into the common hall. His friends followed in silence.  
  
  
As it turned out, there was a lot they were going to do. The First White Wing was ordered to fly north and assist the Blue Wing in fighting the forces of Deorn by any means necessary, even if that meant invading their country.  
  
“The order is to destroy the forces of Deorn once and for all, so they won’t pose a threat to Nereya anymore,” Captain Williams announced with a stony face. “The ground troops are already securing the borders. The Wings will act as a vanguard, find Deorn’s army, surround them, and then together with the troops, we are to destroy them.”  
  
Jared didn’t miss that Captain Williams appeared less than thrilled by this idea.  
  
Aldis leaned over the table. “A hundred coins says Pellegrino’s endgame is to subjugate Deorn and turn it into a tributary province.”  
  
Chad snorted. “That’s impossible. Deorn is too vast and too powerful. When the Lacodeans came down from the north to conquer them, they choked on all that land. And the winters are brutal. Just because we have the dragons doesn’t mean we’d do better. There are way too few of us.”  
  
“Not too mention that Riders don’t conquer,” Gen hissed. “We’re supposed to protect our people, not fly around playing who’s got the biggest dick.”  
  
Chad grimaced and Aldis nodded reluctantly. Jared agreed with Gen, but after the last few months, there was nothing he wouldn’t put beyond Pellegrino. He seemed to become more power-hungry every day, and his delusions of grandeur knew no bounds. Really, rationally considered, it wasn’t surprising he would want to conquer their neighbors at some point.  
  
When Williams dismissed them with orders to be ready to fly in one hour, Jared went to his little hut. It didn’t take long to pack his travel bags.  
  
He was allowed one duffel bag, but it was to be kept light; on a long flight every ounce counted. His second bag was just a rolled-up piece of tanned leather that held all his weapons. A Rider always wore a belt with throwing stars and carried a knife in a boot, but spears, a long sword and the long bow, daggers, and additional throwing stars were always carried with them, including the tools he needed to take care of his weapons and the dragon’s harness.  
  
Jared packed up quickly. He wouldn’t need the full hour for his own stuff, but would in order to put the full harness on Haylee.  
  
Outside his hut, Haylee was already waiting for him, the large pieces of harness lying at her feet. This was what had taken them the longest to learn; how to work as a team to get all the leather straps and metal buckles in the right place so the harness wouldn’t shift around.  
  
Haylee had already stepped into the big loops that wound around her forelegs. Jared grabbed the big back strap, throwing it over his shoulder, and then he climbed up Haylee’s back with the help of her outstretched hind leg. The back strap was heavy, but Jared had learned quickly that everyone in the Wings pulled their own weight. With a dragon, failure was not an option, so Jared had endured weeks of charley horse until his muscles had caught up and provided him with the strength he needed.  
  
Haylee lay down and pushed the strap around her legs upwards so Jared could fasten the back strap to them, holding them in place. She carefully handed him the other parts of the harness, and for the next half hour, Jared climbed up and down his dragon in order to get the pieces of the harness into place. They worked mostly in silence, only communicating when it was about the attaching of the harness.  
  
In the end, his saddle was secured in such a way that it couldn’t slip off or side-to-side by a woven pattern of straps wound around Haylee’s chest, sides, and belly. Not only could packs and bags be attached to it if need be, but in a fight Jared would be able to walk the ropes, fighting not only from Haylee’s back, but also from her sides or belly; in any position that gave him the best angle to shoot.  
  
Jared wore his own harness to make sure he wouldn’t fall during these maneuvers. The ‘walker's belt’ wound around his thighs; the straps crossed over the sides of his upper thighs and attached to the broad belt around his hips. A rope with several carabiners plaited into it was attached to the middle of the belt, so he could hook himself onto Haylee’s harness anywhere as a safety measure.  
  
He still remembered vividly the first time he had actually needed it. Haylee had flown a new maneuver, he’d lost his grip and ended up dangling from her belly five hundred feet over the ground. He’d never been so thankful for the sturdy hemp ropes.  
  
Haylee huffed out a laugh, her first positive emotion of the day.  
  
 _Like a fish on a hook you were dangling around there. And you screamed like a baby._  
  
“I did not! You were the one wobbling around like a bumblebee after a long winter,” Jared exclaimed, jumping gratefully into the banter. The heavy silence had slowly been driving him nuts.  
  
They kept bickering the whole way to the big meadow that served as an assembly ground for the dragons. Williams and Sali did a quick inspection of all the equipment, and then they were off.  
  
They were headed for their first big fight.  
  
 _Quit worrying,_ Haylee scolded him. _As if I’d ever let anything happen to you._  
  
 _I’m not worried for myself,_ Jared told her.  
  
 _Then what are you worrying about?_  
  
 _Everything,_ Jared said heavily. _Everything._  


 

 

  
  
  
The northern trading post was nothing more than a ruin. When the First White Wing touched down, the army hadn’t even cleared half the city of rubble, debris, and corpses. They made camp next to the Second and Third Blue Wings. Most of their Riders were out daily, scouting the border and flying into Deorn territory to suss out the army, but whoever was leading the enemy-forces knew how to evade the dragons.  
  
Jared and his friends were put on clearing duty with the soldiers. The northern trading post was very important; it was the gateway to Deorn, the River Road, and the main trading route along the banks of the Ona. The large river came from the giant forest up north and ran along the desert and the caravan routes, then veered west to run down Nereya’s border to Monela. The truce with Monela still held, but considering the Republic was getting attacked by Deorn from the north and Sanra from the south, the Monelans could decide to take advantage of their peril any day.  
  
It was one of the most hotly debated topics, and since clearing debris and carrying burnt wood wasn’t particularly challenging intellectually, there was a lot of time left to talk. The soldiers were hesitant in the beginning, since relations between the Riders and the army had always been somewhat tense, but Jared had always had the gift of making friends. It wasn’t long until his group got along well, even if their debates were quite heated sometimes.  
  
Jared found that boredom could do that to people. Besides getting killed or injured, boredom was a soldier’s greatest enemy. Over the next few weeks, nothing happened. There was no sign of the Deorn army anywhere, the rebuilding of the northern trading post had started, and soldiers and Riders alike were bored.  
  
Williams had them flying formation every day, and the soldiers exercised, but underneath everything ran a current of anticipation that built and built without an outlet.  
  
Three weeks into their arrival, Chad got into a fistfight with a member of the Second Blue Wing - the pretense was a girl, but really, Jared thought Chad and his opponent were just jonesing for a fight. Gen started a passionate affair with a soldier and that brought its own brand of problems. And Jared… Jared worried.  
  
He was the only one who came from a relatively poor region that relied heavily on agricultural production. The harvest this summer had been poor, and winter had come early and harsh. He didn’t get a chance to explore much, since they weren’t allowed to fly off on their own, but he saw the look of the people coming into the post. He also heard them talk quietly, about how the government did nothing for them and that the Senate was a pack of lazy, stupid politicians. Slowly, the mood of the population was turning sour. They didn’t have any faith in Pellegrino and his underlings.  
  
  
When Jared shared his concerns with Aldis, Gen, and Chad one night, he learned that the people in the countryside weren’t the only ones losing faith in Pellegrino.  
  
“I got a letter from my dad today,” Aldis said. His father was a high ranking military strategist, part of the Senate’s war council, and very unhappy with the current situation. His letters were what kept them informed about things going on in the Capital more than any rumors ever could.  
  
“Apparently, last week one of the Senators from down south proposed revoking Ackles’, Harris’, and Kane’s exile. He gave a passionate speech about how we need our heroes in times of distress and how the verdict had been too harsh back then. He said they had always fought for the good of the Republic and we needed them now.”  
  
“Shit,” Gen said, “I bet Pellegrino and Heyerdahl just loved that.”  
  
Aldis grimaced. “My dad has to watch how he words his letters, because you can’t be too careful these days, but if I read it right, Pellegrino completely lost it. Screamed something about sacrilege and how Ackles had always undermined authority, acting without orders and some other shit. Then he said that Harris shouldn’t be a Rider anyway because she’s a woman, and something about Kane never being a great Rider, he was just carried by Ackles and Harris.”  
  
Jared was stunned. “That is the biggest bullshit I’ve ever heard.”  
  
“Is anyone buying that crap?” Chad asked incredulously.  
  
Aldis shook his head. “No idea. People might not agree on the harsh sentence, and my dad and a lot of his friends think they shouldn’t have been exiled at all. But many are on Pellegrino’s side. And who isn’t, will be soon. Dad said that a day later, the Senator’s father was accused of treason. He’s a merchant and apparently he had some ‘conspiratory, treasonous transactions’ with the Sanrans.”  
  
There was a moment of silence until Jared could process what that meant.  
  
“And if the head of the family is accused of treason, they lose their seat in the Senate,” he said quietly.  
  
“Exactly,” Aldis said grimly. “People will think twice about proposing anything like that in the future.”  
  
Jared stared bleakly into the flames. Ackles and his friends coming back would have tipped the scales in favor of the Republic. If Pellegrino was insistent on keeping him away, they were doomed.  
  
“So our only chance to win this war is to get rid of Pellegrino?”  
  
There was a shocked silence.  
  
“Jared, don’t ever talk like that!” Aldis hissed. “What did I just tell you?”  
  
“Yeah,” Gen agreed. “Besides, it’s not like we’re losing the war. It might not look good right now, but we’re far from doomed. Have a little faith in us.”  
  
Jared did. However, he also saw what was happening around them. Things were getting steadily worse and it didn’t look like they would get better anytime soon.  
  
  
New Years came and passed. There was no lavish ceremony this year. They just lit the fires and prayed to the skies and the winds for the war to end, for favorable weather and a rich harvest. Jared prayed for people to come to their senses and for the Republic to be restored to its old values. And if he still prayed for the return of a certain green-eyed Rider, well that was no one’s business but his own.  
  


 

 

  
  
  
  



	3. First Arc: Part Two

 

 

  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  


 

  
  
  
  
When the call came to get into full combat gear, it was almost a relief. The air was bitterly cold, but the dragons would keep them warm.  
  
“Dude, finally,” Chad said, and gathered Slink’s gear with a manic grin.  
  
“What, you wanna die?” Gen asked scathingly, but Chad was unbothered.  
  
“Anything is better than mouldering around here every day.”  
  
 _You’re quiet,_ Haylee said as she stepped into the harness.  
  
Jared tried to give her a reassuring smile. ”I just worry, that’s all."  
  
Hayee rolled her eyes. _Didn’t we have this conversation already? I’m not going to let anything happen to you._  
  
Done with the harness, Jared walked in front of her. He leaned in and they touched, forehead to forehead.  
  
“I love you,” Jared said and pressed a kiss to her scales.  
  
“Aww, look how cute.” The voice was mocking and deep, and Jared recognized it immediately.  
  
He turned around to find Milo and a few of his friends standing there. The Riders of the Blue Wings hadn’t taken kindly to the White Wing showing up in their territory, convinced they’d be able to fight Deorn alone and not wanting to share the glory. It didn’t help that the White Wing had a rather bad reputation with the rest of the four wings stationed all along the Republic’s borders.  
  
Jared chose to ignore them; nothing he could say would change theirs minds. They would just have to show them that the White Wings were Riders, just like them.  
  
  
They made the flight out to the field camp in silence. When they landed, Williams was already in a heated debate with the leaders of the Second and Third Blue Wing.  
  
Haylee touched ground just in time for Jared to hear Sergeant Cohan spit out, “we don’t need you here.”  
  
“We want the same thing, Cohan,” Williams answered her, clearly exasperated.  
  
Cohan looked at him disdainfully. Jared only knew her by reputation. She was the Leader of the Third Blue Wing. A hardass, much like Williams, but born and raised in the north, a region that had always been plagued by tense relations with Deorn and occasional troops of bandits attacking the caravans coming down the trading route.  
  
“Oh, yeah?” She asked, hands on her hips. Her large silver dragon was standing behind her, wings half unfurled in an aggressive stance.  
  
“I don’t know how some lazy, privileged Capital whores can want the same thing as us,” Cohan continued. “We fight, every day, tooth and nail. We starve with our people and you come here, well fed and rested, to take the glory. I don’t think so. You have no jurisdiction here, Williams, and I’m telling you to go. Dohring and I have everything under control.”  
  
Dohring, Leader of the Second Blue Wing, was standing next to her.  
  
“We were ready to ambush a company of their army, but when you flew out here, they spotted you and took shelter,” Dohring hissed. “Now we have to start all over.”  
  
“It’s no wonder,” Cohan said. “The White Wing doesn’t know how to act in the field, too soft to fight a real battle. So you will go back to the fort and let the real fighters handle this.”  
  
Williams narrowed his eyes and his jaw twitched in the way it normally did when Jared or one of the others was in deep shit.  
  
“Very well,” his Wing Leader bit out. “You know where to find us if you need support.”  
  
Dohring snorted. “Not likely.”  
  
Williams gave a curt nod and turned around to address his Wing.  
  
“You heard them, people. We’re flying back to the trading post.”  
  
Jared exchanged a bewildered look with Gen; he’d never known that relations between the Wings were this bad.  
  
 _I don’t like this,_ Haylee said. _This is not how it’s supposed to be._  
  
 _What do the dragons think?_ Jared asked her silently, not wanting to draw attention.  
  
 _They’re not talking to me. This is bad, Jared. How are we supposed to fight if we can’t even get along?_  
  
 _I don’t know,_ he told her while she pushed up in the sky, following the others back to the trading post.  
  
  
Once they’d returned, Williams ordered them to continue working with the army to clean up the city and strengthen the fortifications in case of another attack. He left Sargeant Sila in charge and mounted Ryfen again.  
  
“Where are you going, Sir?” Aldis asked.  
  
“I’m gonna go find Tapping, try to get her to see reason, and talk to those fuckers out there.”  
  
Lieutenant Tapping was the Leader of the whole Blue Wing, making her Cohan’s and Dohring’s superior. If she cleared the White Wing for combat action in her territory, the Blue Wing Leaders had to give in.  
  
“What a fucking mess,” Gen said when Ryfen disappeared in the sky.  
  
Jared agreed, but didn’t say anything. There was nothing that could brighten the mood, so he looked around, trying to find out where they could best help.  
  
  
The hard work over the next few days at least kept the boredom at bay, but it didn’t help with the frustration. They strengthened the palisades surrounding the city, dug a trench, and repaired the walkways on the walls. Most of the soldiers thawed towards them, and after a nice evening sitting around the fires until long into the night, Haylee was basically buzzing with excitement.  
  
 _Remember when I told you I’d point one out to you?_  
  
“Huh?” Jared had no idea what his dragon was talking about.  
  
Haylee snorted. _A guy that wanted to mate with you. I mean, I assume you want a guy, since you’ve been daydreaming about Ackles for years. I also know of at least two girls, but…_  
  
 _No, no, guy is good. But really, I don’t know…_  
  
Haylee cut him off. _Jared, I hate to repeat anything that Slink or Chad say, but you deserve to have some fun, some contact._  
  
 _I can cuddle with you anytime,_ Jared said, leaning against her front leg.  
  
He could feel Haylee roll her eyes. _You need a little human touch every now and again. And that Justin guy definitely likes you._  
  
“Hartley? The soldier?” Jared asked, startled enough to say it out loud. “You sure?”  
  
Haylee nodded. _Yeah. I can smell the desire on him._  
  
Jared just shook his head and started in the direction of the house he was sleeping in.  
  
 _Will you at least consider it?_ Haylee asked.  
  
Jared nodded. Justin was no Jensen Ackles, but he was a nice guy and reasonably attractive. Jared didn’t want to die without ever having had sex, so sooner or later he’d have to consider someone else anyway. Why not now?  
  
  
Hooking up with Hartley was easier than Jared thought it would be. Sure, it was a bit awkward, especially since he knew that even if they didn’t concentrate on their link, Haylee and Jared were still always aware of each other. But Hartley had clearly done this before, and once they were kissing, there was no more hesitancy.  
  
Jared let him lead and went with the flow; it was really nice having another hand than his own on his dick.  
  
“That was nice,” Hartley said when they had pulled their pants back up. “We should do this again sometime.”  
  
Jared nodded. “Yeah, we should.”  
  
When Hartley leaned in for a good night kiss, Jared drew back. This wasn’t that kind of thing. Hartley looked hurt for a moment, but then he smiled and left. They met up the next night, no hard feelings between them. Haylee tried to give them as much privacy as she could, but she was still aware.  
  
The next morning, she looked at him with a skeptical face and told him how happy she was he was getting some action, but what he’d been doing with his mouth seemed downright unsanitary. He blushed ten different shades of red.  
  
 _Well, at least now Slink can’t tease me about having a virgin as a Rider._  
  
“Why is our sexual life so important to you guys anyway?” Jared grumbled.  
  
 _I’m not sure,_ Haylee said, tilting her head. _But it seems to be some kind of status symbol._  
  
Jared just shook his head and went back to cleaning Haylee’s harness. Dragons. Even though he’d been bonded with Haylee for almost four years now, there were still things he didn’t understand and probably never would.  
  
  


 

  
  
  
The next morning, Jared woke up before dawn. Haylee was still asleep, but she was restless. Jared considered waking her up, but she hadn’t gotten more than a few hours of sleep during the last few weeks, so he let her be. Instead, he climbed the palisade and watched the sun rise slowly on the horizon.  
  
A thin mist was hanging in the air, covering the grassy land and the sprawling hills. The river Ona cut right through it, bending just before it reached the city and continued to flow southeast. It was the natural border separating Nereya from Deorn in the north and Monela to the west. Its banks were shallow and up here, the Ona’s dark water crawled slow and lazy through its riverbed. The army had already dismantled the bridges - the merchants brave enough to still travel this route were brought over the river by ferry - but a determined army could easily cross the river. Especially since the hilly terrain could shield them from view.  
  
Jared heard steps on the ladder and it only took him few moments to recognize them. Gen had always had a very light step.  
  
“What are you doing up here, moping around?” She asked and plopped down next to him on the edge of the walkway, legs casually dangling over the fifty foot drop. Riders simply couldn’t be afraid of heights.  
  
“I could ask you the same question,” Jared pointed out, and Gen grinned ruefully.  
  
“Ryan told me he loves me. He wants to marry and spend his life with me.”  
  
“Ouch. How does he imagine that would work?”  
  
In times of peace, it might be possible to have a relationship with a civilian, but in times like these, when they were permanently on the move, marriage just wasn’t on the table.  
  
“Does he want kids, too?” Jared continued.  
  
Gen nodded and grimaced. “And it’s not like I’m against having kids in general, but it’s just not an option right now, not unless he stays home with the baby.”  
  
Jared sucked in a breath. “Did you tell him that?”  
  
“Yep.”  
  
Jared laughed. “Shit.”  
  
“Yep,” Gen said again. “And it’s a shame really, cause the sex was damn good.”  
  
Jared patted her on the back. “There, there. I’m sure you’ll find another poor schmuck whose heart you can break.”  
  
“Speaking of heartbreaking,” Gen said and fixed him with a penetrating stare, “how are things going with Hartley?”  
  
Jared shrugged his shoulders. “It’s nice?”  
  
“Well, I’m glad you’re getting out there. I was afraid you’d be so consumed by your pining after Ackles that you’d never get laid.”  
  
Jared threw up his hands. “Why is everybody so concerned with my sex life? Haylee, Chad and Slink, and now you too?”  
  
“I just want you to be happy,” Gen said.  
  
“And sex makes me happy?”  
  
Gen grinned. “Damn straight it does. At least for a bit. If not, you’re not doing it right.”  
  
“I just…” Jared trailed off, not wanting to continue.  
  
Gen was silent for a moment, then she scooted over and leaned her head on his shoulder. “I know. But in our life… the chances of meeting ‘the one’ are pretty slim in general, and being Riders…”  
  
She didn’t continue, but she didn’t need to. The marriage rate in the Wings was rather low.  
  
“You don’t miss it?”  
  
Gen shook her head. “Not really. I love my life. Well, except for pigheaded politicians screwing everything up and this fucking war. I know that you’re more of a romantic at heart.”  
  
Jared thought back to when he was younger. His dream had only ever been the Riders and his dragon. A relationship hadn’t even been up for discussion.  
  
“Not really,” he admitted. “I think it’s just Ackles.”  
  
“I get that you idolize him and, yes, he is one hot piece of ass, but Jared, despite what they say, he is just a man.”  
  
“Nah. Because, if he’s just a man, I might have a very, very small shot. Better to think of him as some kind of super-human hero.”  
  
Gen rolled her eyes. “Okay, whatever works for you, dork.”  
  
Jared was just about to go for a snappy reply when something caught his eye on the other side of the river.  
  
“Did you see that?”  
  
“See what?” Gen asked, immediately looking out to the river as well.  
  
“I thought I saw something glint. Like the reflection on a sword or a shield.”  
  
They stared out at the river, but there was nothing. Jared wanted to sigh with relief when there was movement on the river bank.  
  
“Is that… is that Deorn’s army?” Gen’s voice was suddenly shaking.  
  
“Yeah. Oh fuck.”  
  
“We need to sound the alarm!” Gen was already getting up, but Jared stopped her.  
  
“If we ring the alarm, they might hear and know we’re prepared. Better pretend we know nothing, so they don’t hurry.”  
  
Gen hesitated, then nodded grimly. “Let’s do this quietly then.”  
  
Jared reached out mentally for Haylee, pulling her out of her sleep. There was a short flare of panic until she get a hold of herself, and Jared told her their plan.  
  
Haylee agreed and started waking all the dragons and telling them, so their riders would know. Gen had already climbed down the ladder and was on her way to the the house where the commander of the army battalion was stationed.  
  
Jared ran around the walkway to the guard posts. At one post, they were playing cards and the others were dozing. Jared told them to hold off sounding the alarm, and then his friends came up the ladder, looking out the the river.  
  
“I don’t get it,” Aldis was saying, just as Jared reached them. “How are they here?”  
  
“It’s brilliant, really,” Jared said and the others glared at him. “What? It is!” he defended himself. “They attack here, wait for us to fortify it even better than before, turn it into a war camp, then they lure us out so they can take the post. Once they’re in here, we’ll have a hard time getting them out, especially if they brought dragon killers. From here, the way into Nereya is open.”  
  
Chad cursed. “They fucking brought them. I can see at least five.”  
  
Jared squinted his eyes. Chad was right. As the name implied, dragon killers were giant war machines that threw spears with barbed hooks which could be fatal to a dragon. If operated correctly, five could be enough to take a whole Wing out. The army had started crossing the river on floats, and Jared could clearly make out the shape of the feared war machinery.  
  
“There were supposed to be guards at the river,” Gen said.  
  
“I’m sure there were,” Aldis answered with a grim expression.  
  
“Okay people, we need to think,” Jared said. “We can’t let them get in.”  
  
“We might not have a choice,” Chad muttered angrily. “Look how many soldiers they have.”  
  
“Well, we’re not enough to defend the trading post, but if we attack, we can take out the catapults before they’re operational and then we might have a shot,” Jared said.  
  
“Jared, are you insane?” Aldis asked. “There’s no commanding officer here. Sergeant Sali left this morning with the others to buy more livestock. They won’t be back before tomorrow. There are the only the four of us, Traci and Adrianne, and that’s it. We can’t attack them with just six dragons without anyone to lead the formation!”  
  
Jared shook his head, refusing to give up. “Traci has been a Rider for over ten years; she knows all the formations.”  
  
The others still stared at him.  
  
“Guys, if we don’t try, they will take the fort and bring war into our lands. We can’t let that happen.”  
  
Chad nodded. “Yeah, okay. You’re possibly insane, but I’m with you.”  
  
Gen nodded as well. “Don’t be a baby, Aldis. Jared is right; either we try or the fort is lost.”  
  
When Jared looked down from the walkway, Haylee was already sitting on the ground below him, several rolled up balls of twine in front of her.  
  
 _Who’s got the oil?_ She asked and gave Jared a toothy grin.  
  


 

 

  
  
  
Traci was less than pleased with the idea, but Commander Massee was all for it.  
  
“You don’t give a fuck whether we live or die, as long as we take out as many of them as we can, do you?” Traci asked scaldingly.  
  
Massee gave her a condescending look. “You’re the protectors of the realm, so go out there and protect. The dragons are no use to us in here, and when the army comes within shooting distance it will be too late anyway. Padalecki is right; this is our best shot.”  
  
Traci glared first at Massee and then at Jared. “If we do this, we do it my way. I know the formations, you’ll follow my lead.”  
  
Jared nodded. “Of course.” Traci had much more experience than he did; of course she’d be the one to lead the attack.  
  
They worked quickly to drench all the twine balls in oil and then attach them to the dragons’ harnesses. The soldiers took up defensive positions on the wall and behind the gates, fortifying them with big wooden beams.  
  
“Okay guys, let’s do this,” Traci finally said, and they mounted their dragons. Deorn’s forces had already crossed almost half the distance from the river to the trading post, and if they got much closer, they would be within shooting range and able to put up the catapults.  
  
“We do this quick and tight. No engaging and hovering in one place. We do four crossing flights and then we’re out of there. We’re not risking getting shot down.”  
  
They all nodded and then, one after another, the dragons spread their wings and took off.  
  
They were spotted immediately, and Jared could see the soldiers on the ground scrambling to get the dragon killers into position.  
  
 _Okay, just like we did in training_ , Jared said to Haylee, trying to keep calm. _You can do this._  
  
Haylee didn’t answer, already focusing on the first target. Jared leaned down her side so he could cut the rope holding the first twine ball when the moment was right. Haylee did a flip in the air, setting the falling ball on fire, before she batted her wings harder to gain altitude. The soldiers on the ground had started firing their bows and, while Haylee’s scales were protecting her well from smaller projectiles, her wings were another matter.  
  
When they had crossed the entire army, Traci ordered the turn.  
  
 _Keep high, dive down sharp, go high,_ Haylee relayed Traci’s commands through her dragon to him.  
  
The air was colder up here, but Jared’s long coat protected him against the wind. He looked over to Aldis next to him, silently communicating their targets, and prepared for the swoop. A few of the catapults were already burning. The balls were filled with a mixture of tar, petroleum, and a secret ingredient the weapons masters of the Republic had been guarding for centuries, and once set aflame, they couldn’t be put out. The sticky mixture inside also ensured it clung to its target.  
  
When they were almost directly over the catapults, they swooped down sharply. Jared’s stomach slid up into his throat, but he still leaned forward and cut the second ball. Haylee set it aflame and he watched with satisfaction as it hit the edge of a catapult, setting it on fire immediately.  
  
 _Shit, watch out!_ He yelled, just in time for Haylee to roll herself over and get her wings out of the line of fire.  
  
 _Up!_  
  
Haylee corkscrewed upwards, trying to evade the arrows. A few hit her legs and belly, but they weren’t more than pinpricks. When Jared looked around for the others, he saw that the formation had scattered. Deorn’s soldiers had managed to ready one of the dragon killers and they were shooting spear after spear up into the sky. They would need quite some luck together with a good aim to hit a dragon, but it was still very dangerous.  
  
Then things happened very quickly.  
  
 _What is Traci saying?_ Jared asked Haylee, but the answer was confusing. They were supposed to rise, to regroup outside of the circle, but if they did, they would give the Deorns more time, and they might be able to ready more catapults.  
  
 _Tell her we need to fly another attack!_  
  
He could hear Haylee convey the message, but even over the distance he could see Traci shake her head. Jared grumbled, just about to tell Haylee to fly over to the others when a pained roar sounded through the sky.  
  
Chad and Slink had been flying in the back and now Slink was flailing in the sky, losing altitude. Jared could see a spear piercing his wing, the barbs hooked into the thin membrane and keeping the spear in place, its weight tearing at the wing.  
  
He looked down and the soldiers were reading another spear and now they didn’t need luck; Slink was an easy target. It wasn’t a conscious decision to urge Haylee down. They reacted as one, leaning forward and Jared took the long bow out of its holder. He was getting within shooting range and the men operating the catapult needed to die.  
  
He took aim over Haylee’s shoulder and he exhaled just when Haylee stilled her wings midair, giving him one smooth second where they were shooting in a straight line through the sky. He let the arrow fly and hit the man at the catapult in the shoulder, making him falter. Then Haylee was within her fire’s range and she let out a giant flame of bright yellow fire. The men below her screamed but Jared didn’t care. He scooted forward to loosen the last ball of twine and it fell right into Haylee’s flame, the explosion happening so close to them that Jared felt the heat run over his face.  
  
The soldiers not affected by the flames were firing at them now, and they had to get away. Haylee beat her wings harshly, flying over the whole stretch the army was occupying and let out a steady stream of fire, while Jared let his arrows fly, not knowing if he even hit anyone. The air around him was full of smoke, but the biting fog would be their best cover now. Haylee rose again, and Jared could feel the fatigue creeping into her shoulder muscles. Haylee was built for the long distance, not for sprints.  
  
 _Almost,_ he told her.  
  
A few more arrows whirred past them. One grazed Jared’s leg and the other one hit Haylee’s tail and then they were out of range again.  
  
 _You okay?_ She asked, the first words she’d spoken since the fight started.  
  
 _Yeah, I’m fine, just a scratch. How’s Slink?_  
  
 _Not good_ , she said grimly and they flew a wide berth around the battlefield. When they reached the others, Laydon was flying under Slink, helping to carry his weight. There was a long gash in Slink’s right wing and a steady stream of thick blood was dripping from it. Chad’s face was ashen and he kept murmuring to Slink and patting his shoulder.  
  
Traci was staring at Jared and Haylee furiously. “What the hell were you thinking? You could have gotten yourself killed!”  
  
“Are you kidding me? If I hadn’t gone in there, Slink and Chad would have died!”  
  
Traci still glowered, but Jared could see that she knew he was right. She gave the order to fly back and with a last look to the the chaos below them, they flew back.  
  
 _Apparently we destroyed four of the five catapults,_ Haylee informed him. _Some other equipment was destroyed and quite a few men died. Aldis thinks the army can handle the attack now._  
  
Aldis came from a family of soldiers, so he was the most familiar with their own army. If Aldis said they could hold the trading post now, then they could.  
  


 

 

  
  
  
When they landed in the city square, the medics were already waiting for them. They immediately went for Slink, and Jared could see Loretta’s worried expression. She was the head medic and, in Jared’s experience, there was nothing she couldn’t fix. In the early stages of his training, Jared had sustained quite a number of injuries and Haylee hadn’t done much better, throwing out her last wing joint every time her wings had caught somewhere on the ground. Loretty had fix it every time.  
  
  
Alona came up to them, running her eyes over Haylee’s whole body. “Okay, I can see a few scratches,” she said, and her voice was all business. “Anything serious?”  
  
Jared shook his head and slid down Haylee’s back. His legs wobbled worse than they’d ever done before after a fight, and his hands were shaking. By now, he knew that that was a normal reaction after coming down from a fight, but it had never been this bad.  
  
“Nothing bad. You can go help Slink.”  
  
“I have to check on the others. But Loretta and Jake will be able to handle it.”  
  
Jared threw a doubting look over there. While Loretta had been around since forever, Jake was new, still a medic-in-training. He’d tried hitting on Jared rather clumsily when he’d first joined their wing, and Jared had politely declined.  
  
Jake was standing under Slink’s wing now, supporting it while Loretta inspected the damage.  
  
“They’re drawing back,” Gen said, showing up next to him. “It seems we scared the Deorn bastards off. You did it, Jay!”  
  
She hugged him and Jared hugged her back. Gen might be tiny compared to him, but like all Riders, she was solid and strong, catching his weight when he leaned into her.  
  
“I’m still shaking,” he said.  
  
Gen laughed. “Me too.”  
  
More people approached them, soldiers and those residents who had remained, and everyone wanted to congratulate and thank them. Jared just wanted to go to Slink and Chad and comfort them.  
  
Chad was standing next to Slink’s head, their foreheads touching. Jared had never seen Chad so quiet. He must have been focusing all of his concentration on the link.  
  
Jared walked over to them, Haylee on his heels. She squeezed around him and then sat down on Slink’s uninjured side, pressing against him in comfort. After a while, Chad looked up and Jared clapped him on the shoulder.  
  
“What’s the verdict?”  
  
Instead of answering, Chad hugged him. Jared was surprised but hugged him back.  
  
“Thanks, man,” Chad mumbled into his shoulder, “You saved him, saved us. You risked your and Haylee’s life and-”  
  
“Don’t even,” Jared cut him off. “You’re my best friend, man, and we’re wingmates. You know what we say: we fly together and we die together. But not today.”  
  
Chad nodded, then turned around to face Loretta. “You can fix him, right?”  
  
Loretta walked out from under Slink’s wing so she could talk to Rider and dragon alike.  
  
“I’m not gonna lie to you boys, it doesn’t look good. The gash is too big to close on its own. If we leave it like this, Slink will always have a hole in his wing.”  
  
Jared gripped Chad’s shoulder to steady him. A dragon with a hole in its wing couldn’t fly in a formation anymore, maybe not even fly properly at all.  
  
“I might be able to fix it,” Loretta continued, “but it will be a long and painful process.”  
  
Chad and his dragon exchanged a look. “What do you mean?” Chad asked.  
  
“I’ll have to cut out thin strips of other parts of the wing. Not broader than three or four inches, and the cuts will grow back together. Then I’ll use that tissue to darn the hole, if you will.”  
  
Chad and Jared stared at her in disbelief. Slink drew his wing in protectively.  
  
“That works?” Jared finally asked.  
  
Loretta nodded. “Dragons heal well. You have to be careful, of course, and you have to know where to cut, but it’s the only option to restore full functionality to the wing.”  
  
This time, Chad and Slink exchanged a longer look that ended with Chad snorting and saying, “don’t be such a baby.”  
  
Slink hissed, a few droplets of acid spewing from his mouth, but then he seemed to acquiesce, because Chad told Loretta to go ahead.  
  
“We’ll be here for you guys,” Jared said and Chad shot him a bravado-filled look.  
  
“Dude, we’ll be fine.”  
  
  
  
They were, but just barely. Chad was as white as a sheet while Slink dug his talons deep into the ground, snout clenched together as Loretta started to cut the pieces out of his uninjured wing. There was no painkiller strong enough for a dragon, so he would have to push through it. Riders always felt their dragon’s pain, but they were able to block it out to a certain extent. Chad didn’t.  
  
As soon as Slink picked up on that, he must have said something to Chad, because Chad glared at his dragon and said, “no way. This is _our_ pain. So you better shut up and concentrate on keeping still.”  
  
It took Loretta the whole day, but when she was done, Slink’s wings were patched up and covered with thick gauze, and he was under strict instructions not to move or fold them in until the next day.  
  
Jared got up and was just about to stumble in the direction of the kitchen house - somehow he realized in all this mess he’d forgotten to eat - when there was a commotion at the gate. Sergeant Williams was back from his meeting with Lieutenant Tapping, just as Sali returned with the livestock he had aquisitioned for the dragons.  
  
When Williams reached Jared, his face was incredulous. Jared figured he was in for one hell of a bitching out, but when he straightened up and took a step forward, everything started spinning.  
  
 _Jared! Jared!_ Haylee’s voice sounded panicky in his head and he heard Jake mumble, “shit, is he still bleeding?”  
  
Then everything went dark.  
  


 

 

  
  
  
In retrospect, fainting had been a good thing. It had saved him from a lecture from Sergeant Williams about being reckless; instead the Wing Leader came to his bed when Jared woke up and told him he’d made the Wings proud.  
  
Lieutenant Tapping arrived that day and came to congratulate Jared on his courage. She also ordered Cohan and Dohring to work with Williams. The Blue Wing Leaders weren’t happy, but they had developed a grudging respect for the young White Wings that had saved the fort.  
  
The White Wing would stay up north and continue to fight Deorn. Not Jared, though.  
  
Slink would have to wait six weeks before he’d be able to fly again; some of his important ligaments had been damaged pretty badly. Loretta ordered him back to the capital because the border region was not the place for a dragon to recuperate and Slink would have to do something called physical therapy.  
  
Chad couldn’t travel alone though, so Jared volunteered to go with him. The gash on his leg, which was what had caused him to faint, would put him out of operation for a week at least, and it didn’t make a difference if he just hung around the fort or accompanied Chad.  
  
The people, Riders, soldiers, and civilians alike, gave them a sound goodbye and then they hit the road. Since Slink couldn’t fly, they walked most of the time with him; Haylee only occasionally carried them up into the clouds.  
  
Since they normally flew everywhere, they saw the state the country was in up-close for the first time. Everywhere they went, people were too thin and weren’t wearing enough clothes. Many houses were in poor condition, shops and stalls permanently closed. Poverty had come to Nereya.  
  
  
  
They realized just how bad it was, and how much the people actually blamed the Riders as well, when they came through the small village of Two Rivers.  
  
Haylee and Slink stayed outside, not wanting to trample through the narrow streets, while Chad and Jared went looking for food and drink.  
  
The dragons had eaten a full meal before they’d left, and since they only needed to eat once a week, it was only Chad and Jared who needed supplies. Their dried meat and bread would last them for a while longer, but something fresh would be nice. They were also looking for a well, because water from deep within the ground tended to be of better quality than what was flowing around in the rivers these days. Not that there were any around here.  
  
“Where are the rivers?” Chad asked when they walked into the town, the dry cold earth crunching under their boots.  
  
Jared had no idea, he’d wondered himself where the village got its name from, but then something occurred to him.  
  
“Remember the dam they built last year?” he asked.  
  
Chad scrunched his eyebrows together. “You don’t think…”  
  
“At this point there’s nothing I wouldn’t think,” Jared said grimly and they walked on in silence.  
  
The people they encountered didn’t greet them. Most turned away from them. Their brown uniform, so much simpler than the army’s, with the high boots and long coats marked them obviously as Riders. Jared remembered a time when people had celebrated the Riders coming to town. Not anymore.  
  
When they reached the well in the middle of the little town, there was only one woman there and her child. The little girl was hiding behind her mother’s raddled skirt.  
  
The woman eyed them coldly while Jared and Chad filled their water skins. After they were done, Jared debated asking her where they could get some fresh food, but before he could say anything, the woman cut him off.  
  
“Why don’t you go and be on your way, Riders?” The mother spat out, venom dripping from her voice.  
  
“What?” Chad asked, baffled.  
  
“You heard me,” she said. “This damn war you’re fighting is ruining our land and you do nothing to save us. Where were you when the northern trading post was attacked? When the bandits fell into the Hill Valley, where were you? When our harvest failed and our children starved, _where were you?_ ”  
  
Chad recoiled. “Wow, lady. Look, I’m sorry all this crap is happening, but we’re doing our best to stop it. We’re gonna go fight Deorn and make sure they never come over the border again.”  
  
The woman let out a desperate laugh. “It doesn’t matter what you do, not if this time next year there won’t be a village anymore.”  
  
“Why would you say that?” Chad asked, aghast, but Jared had an idea of what she meant. Chad had lived in a city all his life; he didn’t know what the big eyes and the shaking hands meant, or that look of utter desperation.  
  
“They burned our fields,” the woman said. Her voice was flat, no emotion in it, as if the hunger made it already impossible to muster the strength to be angry. “Harvest time came two months ago, but there was nothing to harvest. Winter is coming early this year, and the ground is already freezing up.”  
  
Chad put a reassuring hand on her shoulder. “I know that you’re worried, but the Republic always takes care of its people. It will be a hard winter, but they will send you grain and other supplies. You won’t have to go hungry.”  
  
The woman shook her head. “You really believe that, do you? You believe in the Republic.”  
  
Chad nodded. “Of course I do.” They might not believe in Pellegrino and his henchmen, but the idea of their Republic, everything that had come before Pellegrino… yeah, they still believed.  
  
The woman shook her head sadly. “We haven’t gotten any support from the capital in two years. It won’t be any different this time.”  
  
Jared and Chad stared at her in disbelief, and the peasant woman sighed. “You’re good boys, I can see that. But you have a lot to learn still.”  
  
The little girl was still staring up at them, and it wasn't even a conscious decision Jared made when he knelt down in front of her. He took the dried strips of meat out of his pocket and held them out to her.  
  
“Go on,” he reassure her, “I know you’re hungry. Take them.”  
  
Slowly, the girl reached out her little hand and took the meat.  
  
“Do you have any siblings?” Jared asked and the girl nodded. “Good,” he said, “then go and share that with them, okay?”  
  
After a short questioning look to her mother, the girl gave him a big smile, one front tooth missing, spun around and ran off.  
  
The woman smiled at them. “Your heart is in the right place, but this isn’t going to change anything.”  
  
Jared nodded. “I know. But I have to do something.”  
  
She snorted. “If you want to do something, how about you kick all those corrupt politicians out and find someone who actually cares for the people?”  
  
When Jared just stared at her, she pressed her mouth together. “Never mind what I said. Just a stupid woman talking.”  
  
“You’re not stupid,” Chad said, agreeing with her in the only way he could.  
  
She looked at him with determination. “There was a miller here in this town. Lived here all his life, except for when he went off to do his military service in the army. He served out east, and he never stopped talking about this one time their post was attacked by the largest band of bandits anyone had seen in a decade, and how the Black Wing saved the day. When the war started here, when the hunger started, he never shut up about what would happen if that Black Wing would come back.”  
  
She didn’t need to say it; Jared knew she was talking about Ackles.  
  
“Three months ago, when he sat in the tavern telling people about that Black Wing, the constable took him away. Said he was upsetting people, causing public unrest. He hasn’t been seen since.”  
  
Chad and Jared exchanged a look. So it was really true. Pellegrino was still scared of Ackles’ memory.  
  
The woman still looked grim. “The miller was a very influential man here; people listened to him when he talked. We haven’t forgotten what he said, but we also haven’t forgotten what happened to him.”  
  
Jared nodded. “Well, you never know what the future holds. They say you always meet twice in life.”  
  
The woman’s eyes widened. “What are you saying, boy?”  
  
“That you can’t give up,” Jared said fiercely. “You can never give up.”  
  
  
  
Later, in the darkness, when they were sitting huddled around the small fire, Chad scrutinized him.  
  
“Jay,” he said after a while, “what you said out there, please don’t tell me you’re thinking of doing something stupid.”  
  
Jared fixed Chad with a hard stare. “Is there a smart way to fix things?”  
  
Chad shook his head. “It’s not our job to fix things. We’re just Riders.”  
  
“Riders are the ones who built the Republic, Chad, so we have to save it. And if no one will do anything…”  
  
Chad looked into the dying flames and sighed. “Admit it, you just want to finally get laid.”  
  
Jared punched Chad in the shoulder and went to bed. But he couldn’t sleep for a long time. He couldn’t stop thinking about Jensen Ackles. He wasn’t sure if he’d really be able to save them; he was just one man with a dragon, after all, but that didn’t stop Jared from fantasizing. When he finally fell asleep, his dreams morphed into an entirely different direction, still starring Ackles and his piercing green eyes.  
  
Jared woke up with sticky pants and rolled his eyes at himself. He was way too old for this shit.  
  
 _You really have to get laid. Like_ really _get laid_ , Haylee grumbled, still half asleep.  
  
Jared flipped her off and went to wash up.  
  


 

 

  
  
The remainder of the trip to the Capital was uneventful. When they got there, Slink was immediately taken into the care of a group of medics; Loretta had sent orders by carrier pigeon and Slink would be well looked after. Haylee and Jared said their goodbyes; they had orders to return straight to the border.  
  
“Thanks. Again,” Chad said.  
  
Jared rolled his eyes. “You’re welcome.”  
  
Then Chad grinned. “Six weeks in the capital. Man, all the possibilities…”  
  
Haylee snorted disgustedly and Jared laughed. Leave it to Chad to find something positive in all this mess.  
  
“See you soon, man,” he said and then they were off.  
  
The route that had taken them a week on foot took them a little more than a day in the air. Haylee was an excellent long distance flyer; her big wings made it possible to glide over long distances and save her strength. Dragons had no problem going without sleep for several days, as long as they could sleep for long periods of time in between, so Jared hooked in all his carabiniers and went to sleep in Haylee’s saddle. It wasn’t the most comfortable way to sleep, but a Rider got used to it.  
  
  
When he came back to the fort, he went straight for the little hut he was staying in. Commander Williams was standing in front of it.  
  
He handed Jared a letter. “You get seven days leave; I can’t spare you for longer.”  
  
Jared stared after him in confusion. When he opened the letter, he understood.  
  
  
  
“What do you mean, you’re leaving?” Gen was standing in the door, hands on her hips while Jared was packing his saddlebags.  
  
“Gen, you know the next few days are only about politics. Tapping and Williams are still haggling strategies and there’s no sign of Deorn’s forces anywhere near the border. We won’t move out before next week, and my mom is really sick. I have to go see her.”  
  
He tried to ignore the worry sitting deep in his belly. His mom had always had a frail constitution, and if his father was worried enough to send Jared a letter…  
  
Haylee’s presence seeped warm and comforting over their bond, but Jared couldn’t stop worrying.  
  
“I get it,” Gen said, but then she sighed. “I just… the way that some of them look at me, Jay, as if I already don’t belong here. One of the Blue Wings asked me why I didn’t just marry Ryan, since he was nice enough to offer me a good way out.”  
  
Jared was shocked. He had no idea that the prejudices against women were present in the Wings itself.  
  
Trying to keep it light, he said, “Aldis will break anyone’s nose who looks at you the wrong way.”  
  
Gen rolled her eyes. “As if I need Aldis. I can do some nose breaking just fine on my own, thank you very much.”  
  
Jared grinned. “Just make sure you don’t get suspended.”  
  
Gen hugged him, then he went outside to where Haylee was waiting in full travel gear. The rest of his Wing was there to see him off and, in the back, Justin was standing and waving. Jared felt a little bit bad that he hadn’t even thought about him once but, then again, it hadn’t really been serious.  
  
He climbed onto Haylee’s back and, with a powerful stroke of her wings, she jumped into the air. She held the speed, going way above her normal travel velocity, but Jared didn’t say anything. He needed to get home, quickly. It would take them almost three days to get there, and Haylee would be able to maintain the speed for the whole journey with just one break in-between.  
  
Jared leaned forwards across her neck and out of the worst wind. Now that he was alone with Haylee, they had time to think about the things they hadn’t before. If there was really something they should do, if they even could.  
  
In the end, they agreed they had to wait. Haylee had gotten a tip from Ryfen that Williams was considering Jared for a promotion, should Traci go and join the Black Wing. Jared hadn’t really considered it, but the better his standing in the Riders, the more people would listen. They weren’t exactly sure what to do, or how to even influence what was going on with the Capital and Pellegrino, but something had to be done.  
  
  


 

  
  
  
  



	4. First Arc: Part Three

 

 

 

 

  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  


 

 

  
  
  
  
They saw the smoke miles from Jared’s village.  
  
Dark and grey, it hung low in the sky, slowly billowing outwards as it spread through the sky, announcing terror and pain. There was only one thing that could create a cloud this large - a burning village. His home was in flames; it must have been hit by a raid. There was no other possibility for what he was seeing. Haylee felt his desperation rise and she beat her wings faster than ever before, muscles protesting with every flap of her wings.  
  
His hands were clutching the harness tighter the closer they got. He was searching the ground, waiting for the familiar arrangement of trees to come into view, but the smoke was making it hard to see.  
  
 _So much smoke…_ Haylee didn’t have to finish her thought for Jared to understand. An awful lot of wood had to burn to create this much smoke. Jared ignored what his mind was trying to tell him; instead, he urged Haylee down at the edge of town which suddenly came into view. They landed right on the middle of the town’s main road.  
  
The air was thick with soot and it was hard to breathe. About half the houses’ roofs were still burning. Wood was cracking and breaking, and with a thundering sound, the roof on the house next to him collapsed.  
  
The streets were empty, the fire the only noise. Maybe they had escaped. Maybe someone had seen the attackers early enough and warned the rest of the people. Maybe-  
  
 _Over there._ Haylee had stepped behind him and her thoughts guided his eyes to the left. There, next to the corner of the burning smithy, was a pair of legs. Dark boots, dark pants, the body disappearing around the corner.  
  
Caught in a trance, Jared moved forwards, his eyes never leaving that pair of feet. The body attached to them slowly came into view. Jared stopped. He knew that man. His name was Peter. He was the town’s blacksmith. He’d played cards with Jared’s dad. Once, when Jared had been little, he’d carried him around on his broad shoulders. Now, there was an arrow protruding from his rib cage.  
  
Distantly, he was aware of Haylee’s mind, softly nudging his own.  
  
 _It’s different when you know them,_ Jared said.  
  
Even after all their time together, Jared still couldn’t properly explain how it happened, but somehow Haylee’s mind leaned in and he was instantly a little comforted.  
  
They moved on and Jared forced himself to methodically check every building for survivors. The urge to just run to his parent’s house was strong, but dread made him stick to routine procedures.  
  
He found no one alive.  
  
His parents’ house was the second to last on the main road. The miller’s home behind theirs was mostly unscathed, but Jared’s childhood home was in ruins. The fire had almost died down, only glimmering here and there, and the back wall was almost completely intact. The roof had collapsed, burying everything beneath it.  
  
Later, Jared wouldn’t be able to say how he made his feet move. Didn’t know how he managed to step inside the debris, lifting broken pieces of cinderblocks and splintered furniture. Couldn’t remember what he felt when he found his parents’ bodies in a corner, huddled together closely, charred limbs tightened by the fire’s heat.  
  
The only thing he did remember was how his heart gave a jump when he checked the loose floor panel and found his sister beneath it, still and pale, but chest rising with flat breaths.  
  
He carried her out of the ruins of their home and splashed water into her face until she woke up. Then he held her in his arms while she sobbed and cried. His own tears were streaming hotly down his cheeks, only matched by the burning fury inside of him. Whoever was responsible, Jared would make them pay.  
  
Haylee’s wing folded around them.  
  
 _We need a plan,_ she said. _And a safe place for Megan._  
  
Jared nodded and wiped his tears away.  
  
 _I know just the place,_ he told her and he could feel her approval when she saw what he had in mind.  
  
 _As for the plan…_ Jared trailed off.  
  
 _We need to know what happened here,_ Haylee said, _and who did this. And then we will kill them._  
  
  
They flew to the Second Red Wing’s aerie in silence. Haylee flew as steadily as she could so she wouldn’t jostle Megan unnecessarily. His sister had fallen asleep again, and he cradled her in his arms. He hadn’t seen her in over a year, hadn’t been home in all that time, and he realized suddenly how much he’d grown and broadened. Megan felt tiny and fragile in his arms, with no one in the world to protect her except him.  
  


 

  
  
  
When they reached the aerie of the Second Red Wing, they found only a single dragon guard and the few unbonded humans that always belonged to a Wing - the armorer, the leather master, the medics, and the house staff.  
  
Haylee started communicating with the dragon on guard as soon as she was in range, so when they landed, its Rider and several members of the medical crew were waiting for them. Jared was reluctant to let Megan go, but rationally he knew the doctor would be of more help to her now.  
  
“So,” the Red Wing asked when the medics had carried Megan away, “what’s a lone White Wing doing out here?”  
  
Jared already knew about the hostility towards the White Wing from the other Riders, but it still annoyed him. It had gotten worse when Pellegrino had started dividing the Wings because he had been a White Wing prior to becoming Dragon Consul - most Dragon Consuls had flown in the White Wing at some point - and in times of unrest, people tended to project their anger.  
  
Jared decided to go with the truth. “My mother was sick and she sent for me. My family lived in Three Oaks and - it’s gone now. Completely destroyed... Where the fuck were you when it burned?”  
  
The Red Wing’s Rider had been filled in by his dragon - the visual information Haylee had sent so much stronger than anything Jared could ever say. He dragged a hand through his short hair.  
  
“Did you know the girl?”  
  
“She’s my sister.”  
  
“Ah, shit. I’m so sorry, man.”  
  
They stood in silence for a moment.  
  
“Our Wing was ordered west three days ago because of new forces amassing at the border. We thought the fighting here was under control by the Yellow Wing.”  
  
“Obviously not,” Jared bit out, trying to focus on the anger. He couldn’t fall apart now.  
  
“I don’t get it,” the Red Wing Rider said, shaking his head. “The fighting was going so well. It was so quiet the last weeks down here; after the last skirmish I thought the Sanrans had enough for sure. But I sent a message to our Wing and to the Fourth Yellow Wing - it’s the closest one to us. I also sent a carrier pigeon to the nearest garrison. They will assess the situation, see where the Sanrans ran off to.”  
  
Jared nodded. Sanra, the country to their southern border, was almost as hostile as Deorn. He could feel how the energy was leaving him. Haylee was already almost asleep. After their flight through the night, it was no wonder.  
  
“Rest,” Jared told her. It was a testament to how truly exhausted she was that she only sent her assent over their link and then flew up to one of the big dragon platforms surrounding the aerie’s wooden building complex.  
  
“Follow me,” the Rider said. “You can wait in the medical bay.”  
  
Jared followed him inside, walking through a series of interconnected rooms with a long arcade corridor set into one side, which allowed Riders quick access to their dragons outside. The doctor was still tending to Megan and Jared sat down on an empty bed. He leaned back against the headboard and fell asleep instantly.  
  
  
When he awoke, the aerie was bustling with activity. Jared could hear the familiar flapping of dragon wings, the clanging of weapons and harnesses, and heavy boots walking over wooden planks. The medical room was empty though, so no one had gotten hurt. Jared went over to Megan’s bed to check on her. She was still deeply asleep. He suspected that they had sedated her in order to give her body the time to rest and recover. For a moment, he wished he could join her in blissful unconsciousness; just close his eyes and forget his parents had burned. Instead, he pushed the thoughts back and searched for Haylee. She was sitting in the half-open court where the Wing Leaders welcomed messengers or guests. It was the closest space to the building that could accommodate a dragon.  
  
 _They’re furious_ , Haylee told him. _They were sent on a futile mission, and they come back to find the lands under their protection burned. It’s not their fault._  
  
Jared nodded and stepped out onto the arcade to get to her as fast as possible. They might be connected in mind, but physical closeness was calming in times of trouble. When he walked past one of the large windows, loud voices made him stop short. He didn’t know them, but he recognized the tone of a commanding officer.  
  
“... sent Clark, Moyer, and Stern. They’ll liaise with the ground troops, help with the clean-up and find out what happened,” a male voice said.  
  
“Good,” a raspy female voice answered. “Did you give them orders to track?”  
  
“Yes, Sir,” the man answered.  
  
“Alright. Then go wake up the White Wing, I-” She suddenly stopped. Steps echoed closer to Jared and then a tall blond woman somewhere in her forties appeared in front of the window. The badge on her vest, the red insignia with the silhouette of two black wings with two vertical stripes next to it, marked her Leader of the Second Red Wing, Samantha Ferris.  
  
“Are you eavesdropping, Rider?”  
  
“Erm, no?” Jared said startled. “I was just on my way to my dragon.”  
  
Ferris nodded. “Let’s go outside and have a chat then. I assume you have questions.”  
  
Jared nodded.  
  
“I’m very sorry for your loss,” Ferris offered, and then she walked towards the platform at the entrance.  
  
Haylee was there, next to a big brown dragon.  
  
 _Trassor here is the Wing Leader’s dragon_ , Haylee told Jared. _He’s fuming, just like her. They got the wrong orders by Colonel Huffman. And she usually doesn’t make mistakes like that._  
  
Jared whirled around, staring at Ferris incredulously. “This was a set up?”  
  
“Keep your voice down, Rider,” Ferris ordered.  
  
She didn’t deny it though. Jared’s mind was swirling, he didn’t understand. “Why?” He asked. “Why would they do that?”  
  
Ferris stared at him with hard eyes. “This is nothing you have to concern yourself with, White Wing, do you understand?”  
  
“My parents died!” Jared yelled, the fury in him breaking out. “My sister is lying unconscious in your medical station and the whole town I grew up in is gone - just fucking gone! Have you been there? Have you see what they did to them? So don’t tell me this doesn’t fucking concern me, that was my town, my family…”  
  
Jared broke off and leaned against Haylee, who had quietly stepped beside him. Only then did the hot tears that were running down his face register to him. Angrily he wiped them away; crying wouldn’t help him now.  
  
Ferris’ eyes had softened. “I’m really sorry about what happened, but what is done is done. Nothing we can do now but give them a proper funeral.”  
  
Oh gods, Jared hadn’t even thought about that. And he couldn’t, not now. He still needed answers.  
  
“Just tell me why. _Please,_ Sergeant Ferris.”  
  
Ferris kept quiet, but her dragon didn’t. Haylee pushed their link wide open so Jared would hear every word Trassor said to her. It was exhausting opening their bond so wide and something that came easy only with time and practice, but now it was important.  
  
 _It’s Pellegrino. Most of the Wings aren’t happy with him; he needs the war to keep us busy and sell the necessity of his autocracy to the Senate._  
  
“Trassor,” Ferris hissed at her dragon, but he just looked at her, his eyes blazing a bright angry yellow.  
  
 _No. What Pellegrino is doing is ruining our Republic and destroying the Wings. This is not what I wanted when I flew to the mountain to find my Rider. I don’t want a civil war either, but something has to be done._  
  
All around him, it had gone dead quiet. Jared assumed Trassor had spoken to all dragons and they had all told their Riders.  
  
Ferris’ shoulders slumped and she walked over to her dragon, rubbing a hand over his snout. “I know,” she said quietly. “But we have to be careful. And wait for the right opportunity.”  
  
“Wait?” Jared asked outraged. “The war is happening now!”  
  
His parents were dead now.  
  
“What do you want to do about it, boy?" Ferris asked. “There’s no one strong enough to challenge Pellegrino and his followers, not with the Wing Leaders all quarreling with each other.”  
  
“How could this even happen?” Jared asked, voicing Haylee’s confusion. “We grew up with stories of the Wings fighting side by side. How can you hate each other?”  
  
Ferris exchanged a look with her dragon. “It’s hard getting money from the Senate,” she explained. “Every Wing operates independently from the others and we apply directly to the Senate for funds. There has always been a rivalry about who gets the money to renovate the airie or something like that, and the last few years it got worse. There’s less money to be distributed; we have to fight tooth and nail to keep things afloat. The Green Wing and the Yellow Wing hate each other because the Yellow Wing asked for help once and the Greens didn’t come because they had their own dispute; everybody hates the White Wing anyway, and the Black Wing has become a chaotic, anarchic bunch ever since Ackles, Harris, and Kane left.”  
  
Jared shook his head in disbelief. On top of the war and the famine, this was happening as well.  
  
Ferries’ smile was regretful. “Back in the day, it was different. When there was no war, it didn’t matter if we didn’t get along with each other, and Pellegrino’s puppets weren’t in positions of power. We had a leader strong enough to make us all stand behind him, but nowadays, too much blood has been spilled and there’s too much mistrust in the air.”  
  
“A strong leader?” Jared asked, and Ferris gave a humorous laugh.  
  
“The only one strong enough to unite all the Wings in a hundred years was Ackles, and he’s not coming back. Everyone thought he would become our General one day. I wasn’t so sure; he always struck me more as the hands-on, staying out in the field kind of guy, but even if he had remained Captain of the Black WIng, all the other Wing Leaders would’ve stood behind him. No, we’ll just have to pray the war will be over soon, and things will go back to normal.”  
  
Her second-in-command snorted. “If you believe the High Priest, the gods have abandoned us because we don’t live the way we should. He says it’s one of the reasons fewer dragons claim Riders.”  
  
Jared had stopped listening. His mind was with Haylee’s, already running through the new information.  
  
 _So,_ she said, so much more menace in her voice than Jared had ever heard before, _it all comes back to Pellegrino, doesn’t it? Obviously Huffman needs to die as well…_  
  
Haylee trailed off, waiting to see if Jared would object. When she sensed he wouldn’t protest against killing this time, not with his parents dead and his home eviscerated, she continued.  
  
 _Well then,_ Haylee said, feeling his anger, _they all need to die. The only question is, how do we manage that? I mean, we could just swoop in there and burn them to a crisp, they’d never see it coming…_  
  
Jared shook his head. _And let the Republic fall in chaos and civil war? No, we can’t risk that._  
  
 _Then what do we do?_  
  
 _You heard Ferris,_ Jared said, _we need a strong leader._  
  
Haylee was quiet for a moment, her emotions all over the place. The one that won out was excitement.  
  
 _So we’re going on a quest?_ She asked.  
  
 _Yeah, we are._  
  


 

  
  
  
The plan to go find Ackles and kill Pellegrino was the only thing that kept him sane when he went back to the village. Megan had woken up and accompanied him. She was quiet, looking at everything with dead eyes.  
  
They buried their parents in what had been their backyard. They stood in silence next to each other, holding hands, Haylee a comforting presence behind them.  
  
“Jared,” Megan asked, “what are we going to do now?”  
  
“Sergeant Ferris said you could come live in the aerie and work there.”  
  
“That’s not what I meant,” Megan said and, for the first time, there was some strength in her voice.  
  
Megan had grown up with the same stories he had, of dragons and honor. She’d never wanted to become a Rider, but she’d always admired Jared for joining the Wings.  
  
“I will find the people responsible and kill them,” Jared said.  
  
He expected Megan to flinch, to tell him not to, but she just nodded and said, “good.”  
  
Jared looked at her astonished.  
  
When she saw his look, Megan laughed harshly. “Jared, you’ve been gone for a long time. I grew up. I suffered through hunger and disease. The boy I was in love with died four months ago in a border raid, and now our parents are dead too.”  
  
Guilt closed up Jared’s throat. “I’m so sorry, Meg. I didn’t know.”  
  
“It’s okay. I always meant to write you, but I couldn’t get a messenger and when I finally found someone going to the capital, John was already dead, and I just… I couldn’t write about it.”  
  
Jared sat down in the grass and drew Megan down beside him. “Then tell me about him now,” he said.  
  
Haylee crouched down behind them and wrapped them in her wings. In the safety of her embrace, Megan told him all about the boy she’d loved and lost and about their parents’ last days. She cried into Jared’s shoulder and he cried with her.  
  
Then Jared told her about the war, about his friends, and about Jensen and how he would find him and bring him back to save Nereya.  
  
“I’ll try not to be scared for you,” Megan said with a teary smile, “but I can’t promise.”  
  
Jared nodded. “I’ll try not to be scared either, but I can’t promise.”  
  
They laughed together and dried their tears. Then Jared helped Megan up on Haylee’s back to bring her to the aerie.  
  
“You’ll be fine,” his sister said. “I just know it.”  
  
“Well, I’m your brother, you have to say that,” Jared tried to joke.  
  
Megan looked at him earnestly and shook her head. “No, that’s not it. You know, I almost didn’t recognize you. You're not the clumsy uncoordinated boy I grew up with.”  
  
Jared snorted. “I'm far from graceful.”  
  
Megan laughed. "I don't know, Jay. You look like a warrior to me."  
  
While Haylee flew them back to the aerie, Jared wondered if he’d really changed so much.  
  
 _Well, it’s been a while you’ve stumbled over your own two feet_ , Haylee remarked dryly and Jared playfully slapped her shoulder.  
  
 _Thanks. It’s good to know how much you love me._  
  
She was right though, he thought. Both of them had grown up. Haylee had grown into her wings; they were still long, but proportional. And Jared had managed to lose some of his clumsiness, though the effortless grace of a fully trained Rider still eluded him.  
  
Haylee let out a bellow of a laugh and in all the despair of the day, it was like a single ray of light.  
  
Ferris wished him good luck, and Jared thought that maybe she had a hunch about the plan forming in his mind.  
  
He waved to his sister one last time, then they were off, on their way back to the capital. If Jared wanted to find Jensen, he needed to know where to start looking. He had three days to get back to his post at the northern border, so if he wanted to talk to Chad, he needed to hurry.  
  
  
  
  
After a short stop in the capital to check on Chad and gather information, he flew up north again where his Wing was still stationed. He’d told Chad everything, and his friend had agreed to keep his ears open for news on Jensen.  
  
Winter weather still had the country in its icy grip despite it almost being spring, and up north, it was especially bad. Aldis and Gen were huddled closely around the fire in the middle of their dragons’ circle. The dragons had made themselves beds out of glowing coals to keep warm. Their scales were fireproof; only their wings were vulnerable to fire.  
  
When Jared was done telling them everything, Aldis and Gen exchanged a look.  
  
“What?” Jared asked sharply.  
  
“We heard rumors too, of Pellegrino’s people sending the Wings on futile missions, leaving stretches of the border unprotected,” Gen explained.  
  
“Milo, the mouthy guy from the Blue Wing, voiced it out loud. Two days later, he got a letter that they’d thrown his brother in jail,” Aldis continued. “They released him a few days later, but the message was clear. They can’t hurt us because of the dragons, but they can hurt our families.”  
  
“See!” Jared said, trying to keep his voice down, “this is why we need to do something!”  
  
“But Jared, where would we even start looking? Ackles could be anywhere. And who says he even wants to come back?”  
  
“He’ll come back when he hears that we need him and that the people want him back,” Jared said with conviction. He was sure Ackles wouldn’t let them down.  
  
“Still, where do we find him?” Gen asked.  
  
“We’re all going to go to the capital for the bonding ceremony, right?” Jared asked.  
  
Aldis and Gen nodded.  
  
“Chad is looking for information right now, and if anyone will find out where Ackles is, it’s Chad. We just wait until we’re back in the Capital, find the information and then we leave. Well, _I_ will leave.”  
  
“Oh, no,” Gen said, eyes blazing, “you’re not going alone, buddy.”  
  
Darayn gave an affirmative huff.  
  
“What about your family?” Jared asked. “My parents are dead and Megan is safe with the Red Wing. But your families… what do you think they will do to them if you guys desert?”  
  
“Shit, I didn’t even consider that,” Gen said.  
  
Aldis was quiet, he obviously had.  
  
“It’s okay,” Jared told him. “I’ll be fine. _We’ll_ be fine.”  
  
 _Of course we will,_ Haylee snorted, but her voice was shaking a bit.  
  
  


 

  
  
  
The next weeks were uneventful. Like them, Deorn was waiting for warmer weather to continue with the fighting. In order to be on time for the yearly climbing of the mountain and the subsequent bonding ceremony, the White Wing flew to the Capital; with the inactivity at the border, they could be spared.  
  
Jared watched the children - only boys - gather at the foot of the mountain when the sun rose.  
  
He put his hand against Haylee’s cheek, and both of them remembered the happier days before Ackles had been banished and war had broken out.  
  
That day, only eight dragons came down the mountain with newfound Riders on their backs. It was the lowest number of bondings since the founding of the Republic.  
  
The next day, Jared attended a Senate session. They were open to the public and Jared wanted to get a good look at Pellegrino.  
  
He was nothing special; a man in his thirties, dark blond hair, unremarkable figure. His eyes were blue, ice cold, and glided calculatingly over the people present. They rested on Jared for a second and Jared didn’t look away.  
  
 _I will kill you_ , Jared thought, and smiled.  
  
Pellegrino’s eyes slid down to Jared’s insignia, the white vertical strap on his chest identifying him as a White Wing Rider. Pellegrino nodded generously at Jared, and he had to ball his hands into fists not to punch something.  
  
The next night, they all met up in Chad’s quarters. He was living on the grounds of the medical academy, where Slink was being treated. He was getting better steadily, but the healing of a wing had to be monitored closely. The dragons were outside, cuddling with Slink and listening in on them over their links.  
  
“So,” Jared asked, “what have you got?”  
  
Chad looked at him, frustration clear in his eyes. “Nothing, man. I’m sorry, but no one seems to know anything. There are rumors that Harris is somewhere up north, but no one knows anything for sure. Or they didn’t want to tell me, I don’t know. I had to be careful, but I tried everything, and nothing.”  
  
“Fuck! What do we do now?”  
  
“I don’t know,” Aldis said, “but Jay, you can’t leave without knowing where to go. It could take you years to find him.”  
  
Jared nodded. Who knew how far Ackles had gone. He couldn’t leave Megan alone for so long.  
  
“Do we have another idea?”  
  
“Let’s wait until we’re out of the White Wing,” Gen suggested. “The cadets from last year only got one year of training; they’ll be assigned to the White Wing as soon as the new Riders go into training. We’ll probably all be sent to one of the Color Wings, and then we can start talking to people, find out who’s on our side or not.”  
  
Aldis whistled. “So we’re really planning a revolution then?”  
  
“Do you have another idea to fix this mess?” Jared asked him.  
  
Aldis shook his head. “No. So I guess I’d better talk to my dad.”  
  
  
When Aldis and Gen had gone to bed, Jared and Chad went outside, curled up between their dragons’ legs and just talked. They talked about nothing and everything, but never about the war or Jared’s parents. They just pretended it were the good old times.  
  
“Remember how much I was freaking out in the beginning when Slink couldn’t spew fire? I was trying so hard to hold it together for him, but you guys saw right through me.”  
  
Jared laughed at the memory. Most dragons could spew fire. The range and heat of their flames were different and some, like Harris' dragon Shayleen, had been able to spew fire balls, but not Slink. One day, they’d been out together in a field, and when the long stalks had tickled Slink’s nose, he’d sneezed burning acid, scorching the ground. Chad had danced around like mad, yelling, “ha, I knew you were special, man!"  
  
They fell quiet again, and in the silence, Jared couldn’t keep his thoughts from going back to their current situation.  
  
“What do we do if we can’t find Ackles? Ferris didn’t believe there was another way to fix things in the near future, and our country can’t take this. The Wings can’t take it. I mean, look at how they’re treating Gen, and only eight boys got picked this year…” Jared broke off. He tried to be optimistic, but it was fucking hard.  
  
“I know that you’re hung up on Ackles to save us,” Chad said. “And I won’t deny that having him would be a damn good advantage, but Ackles or not, we’ll still find a way to save Nereya.”  
  
“I could help with that,” a young voice said out of the darkness.  
  
Chad and Jared scrambled out of their dragons’ cover to find the intruder.  
  
 _Why didn’t you warn us?_ Jared hissed at Haylee.  
  
He could feel her blink in confusion. _What? I just dozed off. What happened?_  
  
Jared snorted and showed her his memories. Of course, the dragons would nod off, finally being together again and getting a chance to rest cozied up to each other.  
  
“Got him!” Chad yelled triumphantly and dragged a boy into the light of their dying fire.  
  
Jared recognized him; he was one of the new Riders. He was scrawny and his short reddish hair was sticking up in all directions. Phil was his name, Jared thought.  
  
“What the hell are you doing here, eavesdropping on two Riders, huh?” Chad asked, putting way too much menace into his voice.  
  
The boy flinched back, but then straightened his spine.  
  
"I was just… walking to my dragon when I heard you. And I know where Ackles is.”  
  
Jared and Chad exchanged a look, unsure of how much the boy had heard.  
  
“What’s it to you?” Jared asked.  
  
The boy swallowed, but his eyes were blazing. “I hate Pellegrino,” he said in a clear voice. “I hate everything about him and everything he does to the Wings. And if you think Ackles coming back will stop him, then I’m gonna lead you to him.”  
  
“I don’t know, Jay,” Chad said slowly, “Can we trust him?”  
  
The boy hesitated for a moment, then determination crept into his features. “Yes, you can. And this is why,” he said, and pulled up his shirt.  
  
“What the fuck?” Chad breathed out.  
  
Jared echoed the sentiment in his head. Thick white bandages were snugly wrapped around the boy’s chest, but now Jared could see the curve beneath them.  
  
“You’re a girl,” Chad said incredulous. “I know my boobs, and those - those are boobs!”  
  
Jared might not be as well versed in boobs as Chad, but he was right. The girl lowered her shirt again.  
  
“My name is Felicia Day,” she said, “and I wanted to become a Rider. I pretended to be a boy so I could climb the mountain.”  
  
“If they find out…” Jared started worriedly. “What were you thinking?”  
  
“I was thinking that this was my destiny!” Felicia said angrily. “I mean, why did you climb that mountain, huh? You didn’t climb it for the prestige or the power, you climbed it ‘cause you knew it too. I just wanted to make it until the ceremony, I figured if they bond us together, they’ll just have to accept it. Only eight new Riders were picked this year, so I figured my chances were good.”  
  
“So what changed?” Jared asked.  
  
Felicia hung her head. “One of the boys at the camp, he came in when I was washing up. He saw… I asked him not to tell, I begged him, but I don’t think he’ll listen.”  
  
“Shit.” Chad said again.  
  
Jared agreed. “Yeah.”  
  
“So now we need to get out of here,” Felicia said.  
  
“But if you don’t go to the ceremony, the bond will never fully form,” Jared pointed out. Prior to the ceremony, there was a connection, but it was weak and only conveyed emotions, no actual words. Only when the priests blessed the union and called upon the winds to sanction it and give Rider and dragon the understanding they needed, only then could Riders and dragons communicate without limitations.  
  
“I know,” Felicia said sadly. “but we want to risk it. We can’t be separated. So I will go with you and show you the way.”  
  
“Yeah, that’s another thing,” Chad said, squinting at her. “How do you know how to find Ackles, when no one else does?”  
  
Felicia didn’t flinch this time. “My father is a salesman. He travels really far and he told me. He took me on his routes when I was younger because my mom died when I was a baby. I know all the best ways to travel and I know where to find him.”  
  
“And where is that?” Jared asked, still not convinced.  
  
“I won’t tell you. Because if I do, you won’t take me with you.”  
  
“Damn right I won’t,” Jared said and Haylee agreed with him.  
  
 _Look at her, she barely looks sixteen._  
  
“You’re too young and too inexperienced and so is your dragon. You guys don’t know how to put a harness on, you can’t fight. It’s way too dangerous!”  
  
“And if I stay here, they will find out and do the winds know what to me,” she said and Jared deflated.  
  
She was right, she couldn’t stay.  
  
 _Haylee…._  
  
His dragon sighed. _We’re going to regret this, aren’t we?_  
  
“Then we have to leave tonight,” Jared said after Haylee and he’d reached a decision.  
  
“Yay!” Felicia shouted before she got herself under control. “I mean, good.”  
  
Jared rolled his eyes. Awesome. She was worse than he used to be.  
  
“We should come with you,” Chad said, and Slink nodded. “If you have to watch out for her as well…”  
  
Jared was already shaking his head. “Slink needs to rest for at least another two weeks and we can’t wait. Besides, what would they do to your family?”  
  
“Shit.”  
  
Slink spewed a thin jet of acid onto the ground, burning a hole into the gravel.  
  
“I wish you could come,” Jared said. “Skies know how much. But we have to leave as soon as possible. And it’s not like Haylee would ever let anything happen to me.”  
  
Chad smiled, putting up a brave front. “Alright. Then let’s hunt down some supplies. You should be gone before dawn.”  
  
  
Jared woke Gen and Aldis to say goodbye when they were ready to go. They had two hours until sunrise, which should give them enough time to get away from the Capital without anyone missing them.  
  
Aldis hugged him and Gen gave him her favorite dagger for luck. Felicia didn’t have a set of weapons or a harness yet, so Chad had found her a spare and some weapons.  
  
“We’ll put the harness on Codey when we have more time. For now you ride with me,” Jared said.  
  
Codey was small, even for a young dragon and Jared knew without training he wouldn’t be able to keep up with Haylee, not even without Felicia’s weight on his back.  
  
Neither Felicia nor Codey were happy about that, but they knew it made sense. So Jared helped her up in the harness and followed her onto Haylee’s back.  
  
“May the winds be with you,” Aldis and Gen said.  
  
Chad just grinned. “And try to get laid, will ya?”  
  
 _Trust Chad to cheapen the moment,_ Haylee snorted, but Jared could feel her mood lighten with the joke.  
  
He waved at his friends one last time, not knowing when he’d see them again - he refused to think of it as if he would never see them again - and then Haylee jumped into the air, flapping her wings as quietly as possibly. She rose high enough to disappear into the clouds, Codey struggling to keep up.  
  
Felicia leaned closer against Jared’s back.  
  
“Shit, it’s cold up here.”  
  
“That’s why we got you the coat.”  
  
“I’m still freezing.”  
  
Jared looked down at her naked hands gripping his waist, then his own glove covered one.  
  
“We’ll get you some gloves.”  
  
“And a hat?” Felicia asked hopefully. Haylee snorted.  
  
“Don’t be a baby,” Jared said. “Anyway, you’ll get used to the cold. You wanted to be a Rider. This is it.”  
  
Felicia was quiet for a long while. “Yeah. I am a Rider now.”  
  
“Yeah, you are. So where to, oh navigator?”  
  
Felicia laughed. “East. We need to reach the Plains and the best way is to follow the outcrops of the Stony Mountains.”  
  
“East it is,” Jared said, and Haylee adjusted her route accordingly. Between Nereya and the Plains were three thousand miles of desert wasteland. It would be a long journey.  
  


 

  
  
  
Jared had never thought of himself as a teacher. Sure, he’d taught Megan all kinds of things when they were growing up, like where to catch worms and how to build mudcakes, but he hadn’t done anything like that in years.  
  
Now he had a new Rider on his hands with a young dragon, and he needed to teach them how to put on a harness - something he’d had difficulties with himself - and how to fly. It wasn’t that Codey couldn’t fly, but it was different with a person on your back and Jared and Haylee agreed they should at least know some evasive maneuvers. They didn’t know who they might run into. During the days, they kept high enough that a wandering eye would think they were birds, and when it was time to land, they chose secluded spots in the mountains.  
  
Whenever the opportunity presented itself, the dragons hunted for fresh meat and Jared went looking for roots and other plants.  
  
“I didn’t think a Rider would know how to do that,” Felicia said, helping him dig up a bunch of wild carrots.  
  
“I was a farm boy before I was a Rider,” Jared explained, “and we didn’t have lot of money.”  
  
Felicia nodded. “It’s weird. Somehow I never thought about Riders as people or what they did before.”  
  
Jared smiled at her. “I know what you mean. But yeah, just people.”  
  
“What about Ackles?” Felicia asked with a smile. She had picked up pretty quickly on Jared’s ongoing crush.  
  
He still tried to play it cool, nonchalantly shrugging his shoulders. “The man is a legend. If only half the stories about him are true…”  
  
“Still just a person,” Felicia said.  
  
“Have you ever seen him?” Jared asked her. Felicia shook her head.  
  
“I have,” Jared told her. “Trust me, he’s more than a man.”  
  
When they were sitting around their little fire that night, eating mountain-goat stew with carrots, Jared asked Felicia again where they were going.  
  
“I told you, the Plains.”  
  
“The Plains are huge,” Jared said, remembering the old maps in the training camp.  
  
“I’ll tell you when we get there.”  
  
  
  
  
 _Jared!_  
  
“Jared! Jared, wake up!”  
  
With a start, Jared shot up from his bedroll, hand on his dagger and looking around in panic.  
  
“Woah,” Felicia said, jumping back from where she’d been sitting on his chest. “No one’s attacking us, no danger!”  
  
Jared let himself fall back on his bedding, with a heavy exhale. “Then why the fuck would you wake me like this when the sun’s not even fully up?”  
  
“Because the most amazing, exciting unbelievably incredible thing happened!” Felicia said, eyes shining with excitement in the muted light of the early dawn.  
  
“And what is that?”  
  
“I can hear Codey!” Felicia was practically dancing on Jared’s legs.  
  
Codey was standing directly behind her, showing all his sharp teeth in a wide grin. Jared looked to Haylee for help and she was bursting with happiness as well.  
  
 _It’s true, Jared. I can hear him now too. Clear as day, every word._  
  
“But that’s impossible,” Jared said, “there was no ceremony, your union isn’t blessed…” He trailed off when he felt Haylee’s mood flip.  
  
 _Or it is entirely possible and they’ve been lying to us the whole time._  
  
Jared was stunned. He knew that the High Priest was probably in Pellegrino’s pocket, but telling generations of Riders they could only bond through a ceremony when the link would fully form on its own in time... That was a whole different matter.  
  
 _Think,_ Haylee said harshly, _the ceremony didn’t make our communication suddenly go boom. It took another day until we could really speak._  
  
“So we wouldn’t have needed the priests,” Jared said out loud.  
  
Felicia was still sitting on his legs, now looking at him questioningly. “I don’t get it. Why would they lie? Maybe it was an honest mistake.”  
  
Haylee snorted.  
  
“No, not really,” Jared said slowly. “Religion… It used to be much more important. I remember from the history lessons; during the monarchy, the High Priest was the second most powerful man in Nereya, and the priests had huge temples. When the Riders founded the Republic, people turned away from religion because it was something that reminded them of the old days. The only reason they’re still around is because of the bonding.”  
  
“Seriously?” Felicia asked astonished.  
  
“Yeah,” Jared said, trying to remember his lessons right. It felt like it had been decades ago, not just two years. “Back in the old kingdom, there had been many different priests for many different gods. With the rise of the Riders, only the priests of the wind and the sky remained.”  
  
“So what?” Felicia said, “they made up the lie about bonding so they wouldn’t disappear as well?”  
  
“Makes sense, doesn't it?”  
  
 _Unbelievable,_ Haylee mumbled. _If this continues I’m going to lose faith in humanity._  
  
 _What, and lose faith in me too?_  
  
Her wing hit him against the back of his head. _You don’t count, you’re a Rider. You’re almost half dragon anyway._  
  
“Fine. But if I’m half dragon, I demand a half dragon-sized breakfast!”  
  
Felicia laughed, and she laughed even harder when she saw he wasn’t kidding and devoured almost all of leftovers from the night before for breakfast.  
  
“Let’s just go,” Jared said. “It might make things easier that Codey is able to talk to you now, but we still have a lot of distance to cover.”  
  


 

  
  
  
Four days later, they were tired and dirty, and their legs ached from sitting in the saddle the whole day. The dragons were showing signs of fatigue as well - Haylee only a bit, but Codey would need a full day of rest soon.  
  
But they had reached the Plains, the sprawling grasslands ruled by the independent city states.  
  
“So,” Jared asked. “Where to?”  
  
Felicia eyed him critically, trying to figure out if he would abandon her if she told him.  
  
“I’m not going to send you back now. We didn’t have any trouble with the bandits on the way here, but I’m not letting you fly back across the Stony Mountains alone. Besides, we already established you can’t go home.”  
  
Felicia nodded. “Jalero. We need to go to Jalero.”  
  
Great. Jalero was all the way up in the northeast corner; they’d need to cross the entire Plains to get there.  
  
“Let’s do this quickly and avoid the cities,” Jared said. “You never know.”  
  
 _I don’t like this,_ Haylee said, looking out over the grasslands. _It’s so flat. No shelter anywhere._  
  
“Yeah, definitely not made for a dragon.”  
  
  
They were sighted several times flying over the Plains and landing in the evening, but strangely enough, the people weren’t scared of them. The third night they made camp, an hour after their arrival, a group of shepherds and their sheep passed within a stone’s throw of them. Instead of screaming, the men waved, bowed, and made camp as close as the nervous sheep would allow.  
  
Two of them came over, offering to share their meal with them. Jared and Felicia exchanged a look, and Haylee didn’t let the strangers out of her sight for a second.  
  
“Thank you, that is very kind of you,” Jared said, because he had manners. “I hope you’ll forgive me this question, but you seem very comfortable around the dragons.”  
  
The men smiled. “They’re noble protectors, aren’t they?”  
  
Jared could feel Haylee preen.  
  
“Dragons in the sky are a good thing,” the men continued. “It keeps the bandits and marauders away. If you allow us, we’ll butcher two sheep for your companions.”  
  
 _I’m not saying no to that,_ Haylee said and grumbled appreciatively.  
  
The men did looked a bit startled when she leaned in closer with a toothy smile, but they still weren’t running away screaming.  
  
“So, a dragon and its Rider are protecting the Plains?” Felicia asked, thoughts obviously going the same direction Jared’s were.  
  
“Yes,” the leader of the men said. “Mostly they protect the caravans, but they hunt whatever bandits they come across. It’s very good for us.”  
  
Jared couldn’t help but smile. He wasn’t surprised that Jensen was still protecting the people.  
  
“And we find them in Jalero?” Jared asked and the men nodded. “Great!”  
  
The rest of the evening they spent in comfortable companionship. The dragons munched on their sheep, the humans had their meals, and the shepherds got out their flutes and played until they went to sleep.  
  
Jared dreamt of green eyes and broad shoulders, and when he woke up, he was elated. He would finally see Jensen again, bring him home, and he would fix everything.  
  
He could feel Haylee’s reservation.  
  
 _Since when have you become a worrywart?_ he asked her.  
  
 _I don’t want you to be disappointed. You want him to be this perfect hero, but what if he isn’t?_  
  
Jared snorted. “Haylee, he’s protecting caravans from bandits. He’s still the same guy who defended Nereya all those years ago.”  
  
Haylee was still wary, but she didn’t say anything.  
  
Jalero was only a day out and they quietly flew across the sky. Felicia was flying close to him since they were gliding slowly. Codey was still exhausted and couldn’t fly very fast.  
  
“Jared,” Felicia said loud enough for Jared to hear, “there’s something I need to tell you. About Ackles?”  
  
“What about him?” Jared asked, wondering what was up now.  
  
“This Rider in Jalero, it’s not him.”  
  
“What?”  
  
Before Felicia could say anything else, Jared saw a big ball of fire shoot through the sky. His eyes followed the source to a big dragon - a big red dragon. Ackles’ dragon Tonayr was pitch black.  
  
“That’s Danneel Harris!” Jared shouted angrily at Felicia.  
  
She looked extremely guilty, wringing her hands. “I’m so sorry, but I only knew where she was. But she’ll know where we can find Ackles and she’ll also be able to help.”  
  
“Why didn’t you tell me?!”  
  
Felicia shrugged her shoulders. “I was afraid it wouldn’t be enough for you to go!”  
  
“Of course it would!”  
  
Felicia was right - Harris was sure to know where Ackles was. He just wished he’d known sooner. He couldn’t dwell on that though; his attention was drawn by the fight taking place before his eyes.  
  
Harris and her dragon Shayleen were battling a group of bandits, probably fifty men strong. Jared watched in awe at Shayleen’s dexterity and maneuvers, at the giant fireballs shooting out of her snout. Harris wasn’t sitting on her dragon’s back; instead she was walking the ropes under her belly, firing arrow after arrow, and when Shayleen dived down deep, Harris switched to her throwing stars, every one of them finding a target.  
  
Jared had never seen anything like it. Harris was playing in a whole different league from any Rider he’d ever seen. The bandits scattered pretty quickly and tried to escape, but Shayleen followed them, picking them up one by one, and she and Harris mercilessly put them all down.  
  
Only one escaped and without thought, Haylee swept down, sharp claws lifting the man from the back of his horse and slicing him open. She flew over to Harris and Shayleen, who had landed in the middle of the destruction, and dropped the dead man to their feet.  
  
 _That was amazing,_ Halyee told Shayleen, and Jared thought that his dragon had found her own personal hero. He couldn’t blame her though; Harris and Shayleen were breathtaking.  
  
“Lieutenant Harris,” Jared said. “I’m Jared Padalecki. I’ve been looking for you.”  
  
Harris gave him a disgusted look. “I’m not a lieutenant anymore, kid. And I don’t want any Riders looking for me, so you can fuck off.”  
  
Shayleen echoed her Rider’s sentiment. Without sparing Jared or Haylee another glance, they started gathering the dead on a pile. Jared was still sitting dumbstruck on Haylee’s back when Harris turned around again.  
  
“If you’re gonna sit there the whole day, staring like a stranded fish, you might as well make yourselves useful.”  
  
Jared hoped this was just some kind of test and hopped off Haylee’s back. Felicia and Codey had landed as well, and Felicia was staring at Harris in a way that was wildly familiar to Jared. He looked closer, and objectively speaking, Harris was an extremely attractive woman. She didn’t do anything for Jared - usually he wouldn’t even notice - but it seemed Felicia did.  
  
“Don’t,” he said. “Spare yourself the heartbreak.”  
  
Felicia looked startled, then she shook her head and dismounted Codey. “Come on, Jared, move your ass.”  
  
Then she bounded over to Harris and introduced herself. She was met with about as much enthusiasm as Jared had been, but Felicia wasn’t deterred in shooting Harris starry-eyed looks. Great. This would be a long afternoon.  
  


 

  
  
  
When the bodies were burned and buried, Harris eyed Jared and Felicia speculatively.  
  
“So you didn’t fail as spectacularly as I thought.”  
  
Felicia beamed, Haylee preened, and Jared rolled his eyes.  
  
“But the answer is no,” Harris continued.  
  
“You don’t even know what we want to ask,” Jared said.  
  
Harris put her hands on her hips and raised her eyebrows. “Really? So the Republic hasn’t fallen into chaos, there is no war with Deorn and Sanra, and Pellegrino isn’t trying to insinuate himself into a position of absolute power?”  
  
Jared opened his mouth and closed it. Harris was very well informed, there wasn’t really anything he could say here. Except…  
  
“We’re not at war with Sanra.” There were skirmishes and raids along the border - Jared knew that all too well - but they weren’t at war officially, so Sanra’s army would stay away from them.  
  
“You’re not really up to current events, are you?” Harris asked. “Sanra declared war four days ago.”  
  
“Oh no,” Felicia breathed out.  
  
Harris shook her head. “The Republic is going to crash and burn, and there’s nothing you can do about it.”  
  
“Don’t you even care?” Jared asked angrily. He couldn’t believe Harris was so indifferent towards her country.  
  
“Hey, they were the ones who threw me out,” she said haughtily. “I told them not to come running when everything went to shit.”  
  
Out of the corner of his eye, Jared saw Felicia’s face fall.  
  
“But what about your family?”  
  
Harris put a hand to her dragon’s neck. “The day she picked me, Shayleen became my family. I thought the Wings would be my family as well, but they couldn’t turn their backs fast enough when they threw us out. So no, I don’t care. Empires rise and fall all the time; now it seems it’s Nereya’s turn to go.”  
  
“Fine,” Jared bit out, “if you won’t help us, stay here and do your mercenary thing. At least tell us where we can find Jensen Ackles then.”  
  
“Why?” Harris asked dispassionately.  
  
Jared looked at her incredulously. “Because he’s the one we’re looking for anyway. He’s the one that can save Nereya.”  
  
Harris was still for a moment, then she laughed.  
  
“Oh honey,” she finally said. “I don’t know if I should find it adorable or pathetic that you’re still so hopeful.” Her eyes wandered up and down his body sparkling with mischief. “I think I’m gonna go with adorable. Because you, young Rider, are very cute.”  
  
 _Is she hitting on you?_ Haylee asked incredulous.  
  
 _I don’t think so_ , Jared told her, _but I’m definitely scared._  
  
“Actually…” Harris trailed off, looking Jared up and down again, and then looking over to her dragon. She had a silent conversation with Shayleen, before she laughed and clapped her hands. “Alright, I’ll tell you where you can find Jensen if you answer some questions.”  
  
“Sure,” Jared said. It wasn’t really a choice.  
  
“Why do you believe Jensen will be able to save Nereya? You don’t know him, am I right? You never talked to him? Why are you even here, so far away from home and the people you love?”  
  
Jared looked searchingly into her face. For the first time, Harris looked curious, looked like she really cared. He answered without hesitation.  
  
“Because he’s my hero. I know all the stories about him, everything he did. I know that he’s the only one the other Wing Leaders would follow and the only one the population idolizes enough to trust the government again. He’s…” Jared searched for the rights words to express this deep conviction he had that Ackles would be their savior without spilling his crush. “He’s a good man. I saw him, once, and he just… he’s a good man. If he doesn’t come and help us, there won’t be a home to go back to. I already lost my parents, and Pellegrino is taking great care to destroy everything else I love. Jensen has to save us. He just has to.”  
  
Harris’ eyes had turned soft. “I’m sorry for your loss, I really am. But you might already be too late. Some things are too broken to fix. You not only need a new government - you need to change a whole mentality. You need to change a whole system. Do you have any notion of what this will cost? You and everyone else?”  
  
“No, I don’t,” Jared answered honestly. He couldn’t imagine what it would take. He knew they would need to do more than just kill Pellegrino, but he had no idea what else lay ahead of them. He just trusted that Ackles knew how to fix it. “But I know it’ll be worth it.”  
  
Shayleen grumbled out in consent and Harris smiled ruefully. “To have your faith, young Rider.” Then she squared her shoulders and she was back to being all business. “If you fly south and cross the river Tev, you’ll come across the small town of Greenwood. There’s a tavern at its eastern edge, the Golden Boar. Kane is living there, and occasionally Jensen comes out of his hole to drink with him.”  
  
Jared processed that information. He’d not only find Ackles, but also Kane - who was living in a tavern of all places - and he nodded at her in thanks.  
  
“Thank you. I really appreciate it.”  
  
“Just don’t blow it. And tell the boys they need to get over themselves and stop hiding at the ass of the world.”  
  
“I will,” Jared said, then he shot Haylee a questioning look.  
  
 _Ask her_ , his dragon answered. _We both know it’s the right call._  
  
“There’s one more favor I have to ask,” Jared told Harris, who raised an eyebrow at him. “Codey is still young and not used to long travels. If we’re going to return to Nereya as soon as I find Jensen, we’re going to do it at full speed, and if they want a chance to keep up, they need to rest now. Can they stay here with you? I assume you have accommodations suitable for a dragon.”  
  
“Jared!” Felicia hissed, talking for the first time since greeting Harris, “you can’t just dump us here!”  
  
Jared turned around to Felicia and Codey. “I’m not ‘dumping you’. But Codey is tired. He needs at least a day of sleep and several days of rest. I’m the Rider - you didn’t even have any training so it’s my responsibility to look out for you. Haylee agrees with me; she saw the way Codey’s wings were drooping during the flight today.”  
  
Felicia stared petulantly to the ground and smoke was curling from Codey’s nostrils.  
  
 _You know how tired you are_ , Haylee told Codey. _Trust me when I say it will only get worse if you don’t allow your body to rest. You don’t know this because you’ve never been through a long period of exertion before, but you can’t catch up with a few hours here or there. If you’re this burned out, you need to sleep for a day._  
  
“Felicia, just…” Jared ran a hand through his hair in frustration, trying to make her understand. “I’m not trying to leave you behind, but we need to get back as soon as I find Jensen, and you guys need to be ready for the trip. Do you really want to push Codey until he just falls out of the sky?”  
  
Felicia’s eyes widened in shock. “Of course not! But he’s a dragon. I always thought they don’t need much rest, that he’ll be fine.”  
  
“It’s okay,” Jared told her, “you couldn’t have know. But this is why you have to trust me.”  
  
“He’s right, you know,” Harris interjected. “Your dragon is beat to hell and he doesn’t even know it. You’re welcome to stay here and recharge. I might even be able to teach you a thing or two that Jared here forgot to tell you.”  
  
Jared rolled his eyes, but he was glad Harris was taking his side. He could already see Felicia changing her mind.  
  
After a brief moment to confer with Codey, she took a deep breath and looked at Harris. “Okay. We’ll stay here.” Then she suddenly stepped forward and hugged Jared.  
  
“Thank you,” she said.  
  
Jared slowly put his arms around her. Felicia felt so small and fragile, without the buildup of muscles all the Riders had from training and flying. She still felt like a child.  
  
“It’s okay,” Jared said again and patted her back.  
  
Felicia stepped back and gave him a blinding smile. “Even if it doesn’t work out, you’ll make a great leader one day.”  
  
Jared didn’t know what to say to that. That was not part of the plan, and not something he’d ever thought about.  
  
Felicia flew back with Harris, and Jared and Haylee flew down south at top speed so they’d reach Greenwood before nightfall.  
  
 _Finally_ , Haylee said, and flew a few corkscrews. _I missed going fast._  
  
Jared laughed and reveled in her joy. It wasn’t until much later, when Haylee was flying steadier again, that she said, _Felicia is right, you know. You do make a good leader._  
  
 _What? No, I don’t._  
  
 _You don’t see yourself clearly. It took me a while to figure it out because I'm with you every day, but you’ve changed. Your sister saw it too. You’re not the clumsy inexperienced Rider you were when I picked you up. You grew up._  
  
 _I had to_ , Jared said, thinking about everything that had happened in the last year.  
  
 _Yeah. Now let’s find Ackles and make him lead our rebellion._  
  
She batted her wings harder. Jared leaned against her outstretched neck, holding on to the spikes there, and then they were shooting through the sky.  
  
  
  


 

  
  
  
  
  



	5. Second Arc: Part One

  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  


 

 

 

  
  
  
  
_In the year 426 of the Republic_  
  
  
It was a slow evening in the Golden Boar. It had been raining the whole day, and the roads were muddy. Only a few die-hard drinkers were sitting in the roadside tavern.  
  
Lindsey was alone behind the bar, polishing glasses. Ty, her boss, was usually here every night, but every now and then, when traffic was slow, he took the day off. Lindsey thought there was a girl in town he liked, but she never asked. She didn’t put her nose into other people’s business. Granted, most of the time she didn't need to, because most people tended to spill their dirty little secrets and embarrassing thoughts to the pretty bartender after five drinks.  
  
There were exceptions - the good-looking guy that always sat in the corner booth next to the back door, for example - but mostly Lindsey knew her patrons.  
  
Johnny the blacksmith had an affair with the miller’s wife. Dan the shepherd had huge gambling debts, and Cory was hopelessly in love with mystery guy sitting in the corner, but besides the occasional fuck, nothing would ever come of it.  
  
Just then, the guy in the corner signaled her for another beer, and Lindsay brought it over. He had shown up in the little town of Greenwood five months ago - a man who carried a heavy burden that he laughed off with a bitter smile. Lindsey knew the type.  
  
Drifting along the roads without a destination, something in their past so dark that they could never settle down. They drank and they fucked, they smiled and they charmed, but they were cold inside.  
  
This one here seemed to be a special case, least of all because he was probably the most attractive guy Lindsey had ever seen. There was more to him, something about him. He moved with the grace of a cat, strong muscles coiling under simple clothes. He was a warrior, but he was different from the veterans and deserters that normally came through.  
  
The bitterness and disappointment in him burned brighter than she’d ever seen before. He always sat alone, except when he picked up someone to keep him company in the night. Sometimes it seemed he was having a silent conversation someone who wasn’t there, but that was just crazy. He only came in a few nights a week, and she had no idea what he did or where he lived. He only gave evasive answers or dazzled her with his bright smile and crinkling eyes.  
  
Once, he’d said he lived up in the mountains, but there was nothing up there except the mountain goats and rumors of a beast roaming the stony hills.  
  
He seemed to make money playing cards when he needed it. He knew every game the travelers played - the locals had given up on playing him very quickly - and he always won. She suspected he cheated, and so did others, but no one dared to call him out on it.  
  
“The coldness in him,” Ty had said once, “you only become that way by killing people. Many people. No, this is not a man you want to cross.”  
  
Lindsey walked over to him now, a full tankard of beer in one hand and a smaller tumbler of their best whiskey in the other. She put both in front of him.  
  
“You know, people who’ve been drinking here for as long as you have normally at least have the courtesy to tell me their name.”  
  
He laughed then, and wow, sometimes she forgot how truly breathtaking he was when he smiled.  
  
“I like you, Lindsey. So if you want, you can call me Jensen.”  
  
The name sounded vaguely familiar for some reason, and Jensen was watching her attentively, but she was still too dazzled to say anything. So she just smiled at him and went back to the bar.  
  
She was just serving the guys sitting at the counter when the door opened and was banged against the wall by a gush of the wind, and a hooded figure stepped into the bar. When the hood was drawn back, Lindsey gasped.  
  
A redheaded woman was standing in the door, dark eyes surveying the room. The newcomer was wearing pants and high boots, showing slim but muscular legs. Lindsey stared. She had never seen a woman in pants.  
  
Slowly, the stranger walked over to the bar and sat down on one of the bar stools.  
  
“A glass of the best you have, please.”  
  
Her voice was deep and smoky. Lindsay reached for the top shelf and poured a glass of whiskey. The stranger sipped it and nodded.  
  
“That’s good stuff. Better than what I expected to find out here.”  
  
Lindsay smiled at her. “My boss knows his liquor.”  
  
She didn’t know what it was, but something about this woman put her on edge. She held herself like a warrior, but women didn’t fight. Then again, they also didn’t wear pants.  
  
“Liquor this good,” the woman said, “you must have a lot of guests.”  
  
Lindsey shrugged her shoulders. In the light of the bar, she could see that the stranger’s hair was more brown, with only streaks of red in it, but she was still one of the most beautiful women Lindsey had ever seen. Her gaze was hard and calculating, even though her mouth was smiling. As a bartender, Lindsey had learned to read people quickly. This woman, whoever she was, was dangerous.  
  
“We get our fair share,” she said, answering the woman’s implied question.  
  
“Hmmm,” the woman said and took another sip. “An old friend of mine, he would appreciate a drink like this as well. You wouldn't happen to have seen him? Tall, short brown hair, the most piercing green eyes you’ve ever seen?”  
  
Lindsey couldn't stop her eyes from flickering into the corner booth, but it was empty. Jensen was gone. The tankard and the tumbler were still sitting on the table though. The woman had turned around to look where Lindsey was looking and she sighed.  
  
“Stubborn bastard,” she muttered out under her breath. Then she emptied her tumbler and put a silver coin on the bar. “If you see him the next time, tell him Danneel is looking for him. I have a job offer for him. Actually, you can tell him I would appreciate his help and that he needs to stop with the hiding and moping.”  
  
Lindsey nodded and Danneel left as quickly as she’d arrived, the patrons staring after her.  
  
When Jensen came back a week later and she told him about Danneel, he rolled his eyes and ordered another drink.  
  
“Stubborn woman,” he muttered and turned around to walk to his table. He froze. When Lindsey looked at his table, Danneel was sitting there smiling.  
  
Jensen sighed, ordered another whiskey, and walked to his table.  
  
Lindsey poured the whiskey and walked over there slowly, trying to catch as much of the conversation as she could. She usually didn't put her nose in other people’s business, but this was something different.  
  
“...at least think about it,” Danneel was saying. “You can’t hide out in the mountains for the rest of your life. You, not to mention Tonayr, are gonna go crazy.”  
  
Jensen rolled his eyes. “I’m not going to stay here forever. The world is a big place.”  
  
“Not everyone is going to be welcoming to you two. People will be scared. And what they fear, they kill.”  
  
Jensen was about to reply when he saw Lindsey. “Thank you, sweetheart,” he said and Lindsey nodded and slowly walked back to the bar.  
  
“It’s just for a little while,” she heard Jensen say. “And it sure beats becoming a mercenary…”  
  
Then Lindsey reached the bar and was out of hearing range. Whenever she was near their table, she tried to listen in, but she only heard scraps of conversation that didn't make sense at all.  
  
Danneel and Jensen stayed until everyone else had left. At some point their conversation turned lighter. Danneel started to recount something, gesticulating with her hands and Jensen even laughed. It was genuine, without the bitterness, and if Lindsey had thought he’d been beautiful before, she didn’t know what to call him now.  
  
In the end, both of them stood up and hugged briefly.  
  
“Give all my love to Shayleen. I know Tonayr enjoyed seeing her, so if you want to come back again...”  
  
Danneel nodded. “The weather’s getting warmer now and the caravans are gonna start coming through, so I’ll be busy, but I’ll look you up.” Then she walked out.  
  
When she reached the door she turned around with a mischievous smile. “Oh, and before I forget, Chris is on his way.”  
  
“Here?” Jensen asked.  
  
Danneel laughed and nodded, and then she walked out the door and into the night. Lindsey thought she heard some shuffling outside, but it sounded too loud and foreign for a horse.  
  
“One more for the road?” Jensen asked, startling her out of her musings.  
  
“Sure,” she said and poured him another one.  
  
“Thank you,” he said.  
  
He drank in silence while she cleaned up the rest of the bar. When he was done, he stood up. For a moment, Lindsey considered inviting him to stay. She knew she was pretty, with her dark hair and her green-brown eyes, but somehow she knew Jensen would decline. He didn’t seem like the man who fucked where he drank.  
  
So she just said, “you’re welcome.”  
  
He walked out, but in the doorway he hesitated. “Hey, any chance Ty might hire a bard?”  
  
Lindsey wondered where that came from. “A bard? Well, it would be nice to have some music in here, but he won’t be able to pay much.”  
  
“Room and board would be enough,” Jensen said and Lindsey nodded.  
  
“I can ask Ty.”  
  
“Chris is a good guy. I’ll vouch for him when needed.”  
  
Given the explicitness with which he said that, his word had obviously meant a lot where he came from. Lindsey was once again left to wonder who this man was.  
  
On the way home, the clouds had cleared and the stars lit up the muddy roads. Only once, when she’d almost reached her home, did a large shadow cross over the sky. It moved quickly for a cloud, but Lindsey was still too wrapped up in thinking about the woman in pants, the mysterious man frequenting her bar, and their friends with the strange names to pay it much attention.  


 

 

 

  
  
  
The way up into the mountains took over an hour. At first, when he’d gotten here, Jensen had slept outside, curled up under Tonayr’s wing. When they had decided to stay for a bit longer, he’d built a simple cabin.  
  
It had everything he needed: a bed and a table, a stream running along outside, and a little barn where he could process the meat he got from the animals Tonayr shared with him. It was quiet and serene and the view was spectacular. All in all, it was great. Or so Jensen told himself.  
  
When he came back, Tonayr was lying on the little rock formation next to Jensen’s hut. For the first time in a long time, positive emotions were coming over their link. Tonayr wasn’t happy - hadn’t been since they were exiled - but he seemed to be content right now. Well, at least Dani’s visit had cheered up one of them.  
  
 _I really enjoyed seeing Shayleen again. I have missed her very much,_ Tonayr said without preamble.  
  
“I’m glad,” Jensen said, and he meant it.  
  
Tonayr had no trouble feeling the undercurrent of Jensen’s emotions, and his head snapped up sharply. His yellow eyes, set deep under spike-adorned ridges, focused on Jensen.  
  
 _Why are you not happy about Danneel’s visit? You like her. And you haven’t had a proper conversation in months, except for me._ Tonayr grinned. _And it’s not like we talk a lot._  
  
Jensen grinned right back. “That’s because we’re both antisocial bastards who like our peace and quiet.”  
  
Discordance shot through Tonayr’s emotion, but he didn’t say anything, just watched Jensen expectantly.  
  
With a sigh, Jensen got some wood from the side of the barn. It was wet from the rain, but Tonayr had no problem lighting it up.  
  
“I enjoyed seeing Dani again,” he said carefully. “We always get along and she had some interesting stories to tell.”  
  
 _But?_ Tonayr prompted.  
  
“Do you really have to ask?” Jensen snapped. He didn’t want to talk about this, especially not with his dragon.  
  
Tonayr was silent for a while, and neither his thoughts nor his eyes gave anything away. After the first few weeks, Jensen and Tonayr had both become quite good at keeping their emotions to themselves, shutting off the link. They had each been in so much pain that it had been too much to handle the other’s as well.  
  
 _Did Danneel tell you about home?_ Tonayr asked.  
  
“It’s not our home anymore.”  
  
Tonayr huffed, smoke curling from his nostrils. _It will always be our home, no matter what a bunch of old men said._  
  
Jensen grabbed a stick and poked around in the fire. That was also something he didn’t want to talk about. He’d told Dani that as well, and she had respected his wishes. Of course, her dragon had told Tonayr all about it and his dragon wouldn’t care that Jensen didn’t want to hear it.  
  
 _The fighting is getting worse. Deorn has declared full on war, and it won’t take long for Sanra to follow behind. The trade is slowing down and the harvests are affected by the war. The bandits take advantage of our forces being busy, and Pellegrino-_  
  
“That’s enough!” Jensen said harshly.  
  
The silence was heavy between them until Tonayr huffed out another cloud of smoke, rearranged himself so he could properly stare at Jensen full of disapproval, and said, _So you haven’t considered Danneel’s proposition_.  
  
“We are not becoming mercenaries,” Jensen bit out.  
  
Tonayr tilted his head. The fire glinted on the two long horns growing out of the back of his head and the small spikes surrounding his eyes. He lifted a claw to stroke over the short spike growing from his mandible.  
  
 _What are we going to become then?_  
  
Jensen stared silently into the flames because he didn't know the answer to that question either.  
  
 _It’s not like we are anything right now,_ Tonayr grumbled quietly, desperate resignation in his voice, and Jensen couldn’t take it. He stood up abruptly and walked away.  
  
 _You can’t walk away from me, Jensen, and you can’t walk away from this._ Tonayr’s voice sounded heavy in his head.  
  
“Watch me,” Jensen bit out, and followed an old game path up the mountain.  
  
He walked up until he reached a big outcrop that overlooked the whole valley. From here, he could see over all the Plains, the fertile grasslands populated by people who lived a half-nomadic lifestyle to follow their animals. There were several large cities spread across the Plains, each one an independent city state, and the pastoralists payed tribute for protection. Not that there was any protection from a dragon looking for food, but Tonayr mostly left them alone and hunted goat and sheep in the mountains.  
  
They weren’t keen on drawing attention to themselves. When he really craved beef, Tonayr went hunting on moonless nights. Jensen knew that his dragon’s diet was less satisfying that what he’d grown up with, but they’d both had to make sacrifices. There weren’t that many options for an exiled Rider and his dragon.  
  
Dani had found a niche, but Jensen wasn’t a hired hand. He would not go under contract with some lord and protect his lands. Grudgingly, he had to admit that Dani actually held true to their motto of protecting the people, because she escorted merchants over the plains and protected the caravans. Still.  
  
Jensen was a warrior, a Rider. A Rider of Nereya.  
  
He let out a bitter laugh. He’d given his life to his Republic, and look where _that_ had gotten him. One power-hungry man with a grudge and Jensen had been sentenced into exile.  
  
Pellegrino had always hated him. He’d been picked the same year Jensen had, only he’d been already eighteen. Jensen didn't know how a dragon could pick a man like him, unless the dragon’s soul was as black as Pellegrino’s.  
  
In hindsight, they fit together. Astrum was just as jealous and mediocre as his Rider. But Pellegrino came from an old family and he had connections. He had his sights set on becoming a Lieutenant of the Black Wing, but Jensen had beaten him to it. Pellegrino’s eyes had shot daggers at him at the ceremony in which Jensen became a lieutenant. Jensen was glad he hadn’t been present when Jensen was promoted to Captain - Astrum might have spewed actual fire at him.  
  
By then, Pellegrino had already joined the White Wing and had discovered his true talent. He became an excellent liar, a sweet-talker, persuader, and blackmailer. In short, he became the perfect politician.  
  
Jensen still hated himself for not seeing it coming. Honestly, he just hadn’t paid attention to all the intrigue going on in the Capital, naively thinking that it had nothing to do with him. He was just a Rider protecting his country.  
  
Then the attack had come, on the day of the old fertility festival, where people prayed for the favor of the skies to bring the dragons down to Nereya and their children.  
  
Jensen had decided only to take Dani and Chris with him, thinking foolishly that they wouldn’t hold it against the leaders of the Black Wing. But Sheppard, their almighty High Priest, had made a big brouhaha about it, yelling something about how people paid the skies and the winds no respect, which was why the dragons were picking fewer and fewer riders.  
  
Since less matches had been made in the last few years before, the council and the senate had panicked and exiled Jensen, Danneel and Chris. The dragons were what was keeping the Republic safe and independent. By then, Pellegrino had served his first term as Dragon Consul and Lehne had just been appointed General of the entire Wings. The two of them had been very close back then. Jensen didn’t know what Lehne had gotten out of Jensen’s exile - he’d never had a problem with him - but Dani had pointed out later that the way Jensen was rising through the ranks, it wouldn’t take long for someone to suggest that he should become General.  
  
Jensen snorted at the memory. There had never been anything he’d wanted less. Being the leader of the Black Wing was the best position in the Wings he could imagine, and he wouldn’t have taken the position of a general even if they had asked.  
  
Unfortunately, Lehne hadn’t known that and had supported Pellegrino’s play. Jensen still thought that the attack that day had been staged. There had been no bandits in the region for weeks, and the Black Wing had been on the usual scheduled rounds, which were done when their presence wasn’t otherwise requested. It would have been easy for them to set it up, really.  
  
Jensen leaned back and looked up to the sky. The sun was slowly rising behind him and the sky had started to change to a lighter blue.  
  
Pellegrino had been re-elected Dragon Consul, and now he wouldn’t leave. There was no place for Jensen anymore.  
  
When the verdict had been given, no one had stepped up for them. They were too afraid to question their perfect system, their infallible Republic. Some had told him how unfair it was and that they wished he could stay, but no one had done anything. Only his old Wing Leader, Jeff Morgan, had told him that he’d tried to talk with General Lehne. All that had gotten him was that his promotion to Colonel and leader of all the color Wings, which had unofficially already been a done deal, had instead gone to Alaina Huffman, a calculating politician just like Pellegrino.  
  
It had been over two years since they’d been forced to leave, and Jensen was still missing Nereya with his whole heart. He missed the sprawling hills and the steep mountain range in the middle. He missed the warm summer days and the cold winters. He missed the way spring was announced with the first bloom of the crocuses, and he missed the end of summer when the leaves would turned yellow and red and brown, a colorful carpet to fly above.  
  
He missed the simple companionship of the Wing, missed the flight and the fight. He’d thought it had meant something to the people, what he’d done for them, but in the end it hadn’t. In the end, Jensen and Tonayr hadn’t mattered.  
  
Jensen whirled around and punched the rock behind him. The shock flashed up his whole arm and the skin over his knuckles split. He remained sitting under the brightening sky and let the blood flow over his hand. It didn’t matter anyway.

 

 

 

  
  
  
_In the year of the Republic 427_  
  
  
  
The Golden Boar was an old weathered building on the edge of Greenwood. They reached it a few hours after dawn, and Haylee landed under the cover of darkness. They didn’t really feel like hiding, but it might be a good idea not to scare the villagers to death.  
  
Here, on the fringes of the Plains, people still relied on pastoralism, but there was also quite a lot of farmland. Haylee carefully landed in an empty field covered in grass and Jared made his way to the tavern.  
  
It was pretty busy for such a small tavern, but Jared figured out why pretty quickly. Across from the bar, a little podium had been installed and a man was sitting there, playing a long-necked lute. The tones were deeper and fuller than Jared had ever heard before, the song slow and full of sorrow. The bard started to sing then, a rough voice telling a tale of loss and longing.  
  
Jared stepped closer. When the bard raised his head, he froze. Christian Kane, former Captain of the Second Black Wing was sitting in a roadside tavern, playing the lute. And he played damn well.  
  
Jared searched the crowd, but he couldn't see Ackles anywhere. He’d have to talk to Kane then.  
  
Jared went over to the barkeeper, a gruff looking man in his thirties, and leaned over the bar.  
  
“Two beers. One for me and one for your bard.”  
  
The barkeeper smiled. “Welcome to the Golden Boar, traveler. Have a seat then.”  
  
The beer was cold. It was the first he’d had in weeks, and Jared eagerly gulped it down. He settled in on his barstool and kept watching Kane perform. After the sad song, he played a faster number and the patrons clapped along. An older man asked the barmaid to dance.  
  
Jared ordered another beer. He concentrated on the link with Haylee, so she could enjoy the music as well.  
  
 _Who would have thought,_ she said pensively. _The mercenary thing at least makes sense, but becoming a bard…_  
  
Kane was playing another song, this one angry with harsh chords and lyrics about betrayal.  
  
 _Everybody has different ways of dealing, I guess,_ Jared said.  
  
When Kane stopped playing, he came over to the bar. He had a quick chat with the bartender, then he walked over to Jared and sat down on the stool next to him.  
  
“I heard you were the one who bought me a drink,” he said, and there was a slight drawl to his voice, typical for the people living in the east of Nereya.  
  
“I was. Jared Padalecki,” Jared introduced himself and stretched his hand out to Kane.  
  
Instead of taking his hand, Kane leaned back, blue eyes assessing Jared. “Now, why would a Rider fly so far from his home just to buy a bard a drink?”  
  
Jared guessed he shouldn’t be surprised at Kane’s hostility.  
  
 _No you shouldn’t,_ Haylee threw in, listening in over their link.  
  
“Well, you’re not really a bard, are you?”  
  
Kane grinned, but it didn’t reach his eyes. “I play the lute and sing every night in a tavern. I’m pretty sure that makes me a bard.”  
  
Jared took a sip of his beer. Of course Kane wouldn’t make it easy for him.  
  
“Okay, how about we cut right to the chase?” Jared offered, remembering from the stories that Kane was a man who didn’t like to be bullshitted.  
  
“I’m listening.”  
  
“Harris sent me your way,” Jared said, watching Kane closely for a reaction.  
  
The other Rider huffed out a laugh. “Of course she would. Can’t let a man wallow in peace and quiet.”  
  
Jared grinned. “No, she can’t. She told me to tell you to quit hiding at the ass of the world.”  
  
Kane threw his head back and laughed. “That sounds like her. Is that why you came?”  
  
“Yes, and no.”  
  
Jared explained what was going on in Nereya. He put it all on the table and told Kane about the intrigues and the war, about Pellegrino reaching for power that didn’t belong to him, and the Wings fighting each other more than fighting together.  
  
Kane’s face got darker and darker. At the mention of Pellegrino’s name, his fist clenched violently. When Jared was done, Kane growled.  
  
“I’m not surprised. I didn’t think it would happen that fast, but I’m not surprised at all. Pellegrino started reaching for power way before anyone realized. Getting us exiled was probably not even the first step.”  
  
Jared nodded. He’d been thinking for a while that Pellegrino might have influenced the council's decision.  
  
Kane watched him sharply. “You’re not as outraged as I’d thought you’d be about this.”  
  
Jared shrugged his shoulders. “I accepted a while ago that most of our politicians are corrupt cowards. So them listening to Pellegrino when it came to passing the verdict…”  
  
He trailed off when Kane started laughing.  
  
“Son, you’re adorable,” he said, and Jared wondered what it was with the older Riders calling him that. “Pellegrino didn’t only influence their decision. He set the whole thing up.”  
  
Jared spat out the beer he’d been about to swallow. “What?”  
  
“Oh yeah. There’s no other way that it could have gone down, Pellegrino paid the bandits off. Of course, we couldn’t prove it, but we’re pretty sure.”  
  
 _I have decided that I will slowly roast him on a stick,_ Haylee informed him. _And if that pompous ass Astrum has any objections, I’ll rip his empty head off. Really, he brings shame to our entire race by bonding with that bastard._  
  
Jared couldn’t keep from grinning and Kane raised an eyebrow questioningly.  
  
“My dragon wants to roast Pellegrino on a stick,” Jared explained.  
  
“Not that I wouldn’t love to see that, but that’ll be difficult to manage,” Kane said.  
  
“That’s exactly why we’re here. I talked to a lot of people back home and they all agree: the only one who can save us, who can successfully unite the Wings and get rid of Pellegrino, is Jensen.”  
  
Kane sighed. “Look, son, you seem like a bright young man, obviously very determined. I understand why you're here, but Jensen… He’s not the man he used to be. Exile has made him bitter.”  
  
Jared shrugged it off. “He’ll still come through. When I tell him how bad it is, he has to come back.”  
  
Kane still eyed him doubtfully. “Alright. He was here a few nights ago, so you might have to wait a few days for him to show up again.”  
  
“You don’t know where he lives?”  
  
Kane gave him a pitying look. “If Jensen doesn’t want to be found, you won’t be able to find him. Get a room, get some rest. And take care of your equipment, it looks like crap.”  
  
With that, he stood up and left Jared staring guiltily down at his dirty and cracked belt, the buckles that could hold his weapons deformed and in dire need of some tending to. He knew Haylee’s harness needed to be oiled as well.  
  
 _Thank the winds Ackles didn’t seen you like that,_ Haylee said, and Jared sighed and went to ask the bartender about a room. Haylee already had her eyes on the mountain range close to the village, but since Jared didn’t want to risk missing Ackles, they would have to spend a few days apart.  
  
 _I won’t go far enough for the link not to work anymore_ , Haylee said before she took off.  
  
Jared went to bed, but he couldn’t sleep for a long time. It was strange, being far enough away from Haylee that she was only a weak presence on the fringes of his mind. Only when he concentrated and felt her content and sleepy in a cave, lying on a bed of stones she’d warmed with her breath, was he able to fall asleep.  
  
The following days, he cleaned his weapons and the harness, and mended the holes in his clothes. The bartender, who introduced himself as Ty, didn’t mind Jared sitting in the corner booth while he did his chores.  
  
In the beginning, Ty had only told him that that booth was usually reserved for someone else. Something in the way he said it had made it clear who he’d meant, and Jared had smiled.  
  
“That’s good, because I’m waiting for him.”  
  
Ty had eyed him dubiously, but let him be. And so Jared waited. And waited. But days passed and Jensen didn’t show up. Kane refused to give him any hints as to where Jensen was, and every recon flight Haylee took over the mountains yielded no results.  
  
Jared was starting to despair. He’d taken to sitting at the bar, chatting with either Ty or Lindsey. Today had been an especially bad day, because a traveler had brought news about more fighting from Nereya. Apparently, Deorn and Sanra had formed an alliance, coordinating their attacks in a way that forced Nereya to spread its troops to a breaking point.  
  
Jared was on his sixth beer and was about to give himself over to the dark emotions swirling around in him. Haylee had taken off, telling him she’d take a long flight, because she couldn’t bear the moping. Jared was contemplating the unfairness of his dragon being able to deal better with the mess than he was, when Lindsey put a shot in front of him.  
  
“For courage,” she said.  
  
Jared looked at her questioningly.  
  
“I know you’ve been waiting the whole week for Jensen to show up, and since you’ve been sitting on your ass the past hour he’s been in here, I figured you needed some liquid courage.”  
  
Jared whirled around in his seat, and there at the other end of the room sat the man he’d been looking for.  
  
Jensen was sitting across a big bellied man, immersed in a game of cards. He was older than Jared remembered him, contours of his face harder and and the lines around his eyes deeper.  
He still had that air of easy confidence about him that Jared remembered, but there was something else, something heavy about him.  
  
“Well, are you gonna go over there?” Lindsey asked.  
  
Jared reached for the shot glass and downed the liquor in one go.  
  
“Gimme another one first,” he said, turning back around to watch Ackles, too spellbound to move. Now that Ackles was finally here, he didn’t know what to do, so he stayed glued to his chair.  


 

 

 

  
  
  
The merchant was squinting at his hand. It wasn’t like that would change the fact that the coins piled on the table would go home in Jensen’s purse, but since he was about to take all of the man’s money, Jensen decided to indulge him. He didn’t humiliate his opponents unless they deserved it.  
  
Jensen emptied his tankard and signaled Lindsey. He scanned the room, but nothing had changed since he’d last done it barely five minutes ago. There were the locals, sitting in their corner booth, a few lonely travelers scattered over the bar, eating and drinking, and, at the far end of the bar, the boy who had been watching him.  
  
Well, to be fair, he wasn’t really a boy anymore. He had the wide shoulders and the large hands of a man, but his face still spoke of youth and innocence. He couldn’t be older than twenty-two. He looked like he could handle himself in a fight, but Jensen wasn’t worried. He’d become quite paranoid over the years and quite good at figuring out why people were staring. Some were staring because they recognized him, but that hadn't happened in months. Others stared because they found him attractive, like the barmaid who brought him a new beer with a wide smile.  
  
The boy was definitely staring because he wanted Jensen. There was something else in his eyes, in the way he shifted on the barstool. He was probably new at this, didn’t know the subtle ways to pick out another guy that was interested and willing in a bar.  
  
Well, Jensen was definitely interested, and as soon as he was done taking the merchant’s money, he was definitely willing. It had been a while since he’d gotten to scratch this particular itch.  
  
“All in,” the merchant said and Jensen smiled at him.  
  
“Excellent.”  
  
The merchant stared incredulously down at the cards Jensen laid on the table and got up. He was probably contemplating calling Jensen a cheater, so Jensen pulled his coat back to reveal the long dagger tucked into his belt.  
  
“I really wouldn’t do that if I were you.”  
  
The merchant huffed, but walked away without causing a scene.  
  
Jensen grinned, pocketed the money, and stood up. Huh. He was swaying slightly; he’d had more to drink than he thought. No matter though. The guy at the bar was staring intently down at the old wood and kneading his hands.  
  
Oh, yeah, Jensen wouldn’t have to do a lot of work here.  
  
He ambled over and sat down next to the guy, who shot him a startled look under too-long bangs. Jensen couldn’t help but snort. If the guy was that shy, he might have to reconsider.  
  
“Don’t bother, I know why you’re here.”  
  
The guy’s head whipped around abruptly. “You do?”  
  
“It’s quite obvious, isn’t it?” Jensen asked with a wry grin and ordered two more beers. Maybe that would help the guy to loosen up.  
  
“Oh.” The guy looked down on the bar, then up at Jensen again. “So you know.”  
  
Jensen nodded.  
  
“Then what’s your answer?” The guy asked after a short break.  
  
Jensen chuckled. He had underestimated him after all. “Straight to the point, are you?”  
  
The guy shrugged his shoulder. Oh yes, really broad. “I don’t see the point. And it’s kind of urgent.”  
  
“That bad, huh?” Jensen smirked.  
  
The guy looked incredulous. “You think this is funny?” He hissed, voice slurring slightly. Definitely a little drunk as well.  
  
Jensen realized the two guys down at the bar were staring. “No, of course not,” he said sobering slightly. He didn’t really feel like fighting, not when he could be fucking, and the two guys down the bar definitely looked like they would take offense to the latter.  
  
“Maybe we should take this somewhere more private?”  
  
The guy’s eyes followed his down to the bar and he nodded. “That might be good.”  
  
“You have a room upstairs?”  
  
The guy nodded.  
  
“Go ahead then,” Jensen said, “I’ll follow you up in a bit.”  
  
Jensen watched the guy - and his pretty ass - as he crossed the room and climbed the stairs before he stood up, reached over the bar for a bottle of schnapps, threw a golden coin in Ty’s tip jar and followed him.  
  
  
He’d left the door ajar and Jensen stepped inside, closing the door behind him. He took off his shoes and coat without preamble and put the booze and knife from his boot on the little chair in the room.  
  
“Can’t be too careful these days,” he explained, but the guy didn’t move, just stared at him with wide eyes. Jensen wasn’t quite sure of their color - downstairs they’d seemed to be brown, now they glinted gold-green. Changing color like a dragon’s, he thought wryly, and took a step forwards.  
  
“So…” he said, waiting for a name.  
  
“Oh. Right. Of course you don’t… Jared. Jared Padalecki.”  
  
Jensen grinned. “I’m Jensen. Didn’t need the last name though, kid.”  
  
Jared looked confused. “Oh, okay. Sorry, I thought…” He made some wavy motion with his hand. It was slightly adorable.  
  
“Yeah, that’s not really necessary here.” Jensen grinned at Jared, then he crossed the distance between them and drew Jared’s head in for a kiss.  
  
Jared was a good three inches taller than him, but his head came down easy enough. He made a surprised noise against his mouth and Jensen didn’t know if it was because Jared didn’t expect a kiss or because they were diving right in. But the more he looked at Jared, the more he realized how attractive he was, so Jensen planned to make the most of this night.  
  
Jared’s lips were soft under his, but hesitant. Jensen buried his hand in Jared’s long hair, pulling them even closer together, and finally Jared seemed to jolt out of his stupor and get on board. He kissed Jensen back, his large hands exploring Jensen’s back. It felt good, getting touched like that again, and Jensen leaned against Jared.  
  
It was good, really good, Jared’s mouth was hot and soft, moving perfectly against Jensen’s, their tongues sliding insistently against each other.  
  
When Jensen reached for the buttons of Jared’s shirt, he drew back.  
  
“Shit, Jensen, wait.”  
  
“What?” Jensen had no clue what was going on.  
  
“This is not, I mean, what are we...” Jared trailed off, looking adorably confused.  
  
Jensen tried to make his smile soft. He really wanted Jared to get over whatever his hangup was.  
  
“Jared, we’re two consenting adults. What are you worried about?”  
  
Jared swallowed. “This… this could make things very complicated.”  
  
“I don’t think so,” Jensen said. He doubted that he would see Jared again. When Jared still didn’t move, Jensen pulled off his own shirt. Jared’s eyes snapped down to his chest immediately, and Jensen took the opportunity to kiss him again.  
  
“Stop worrying,” he murmured and moved his mouth down to Jared’s neck, making him shiver. “Stop thinking,” he said and pressed their bodies together. Jared was hard against his hips and when Jensen undulated his body, Jared moaned. It was a tiny, pretty noise and he wanted to hear it again.  
  
“That’s it”, he encouraged, “just let go.”  
  
He walked them back to the bed and they fell down with a hard thump. Jensen grinned and Jared laughed and then they started pulling off their clothes.  
  
Jared was muscled all over, and enough scars marked his skin to confirm Jensen’s suspicion that he was a soldier. Jensen got his hands on every part of his body, tracing the muscles underneath, and Jared closed his eyes, gripped the bedspread, and tried to breathe evenly.  
  
“Don’t,” Jensen said and nipped his earlobe, “wanna hear you.”  
  
Jared made the hottest little sounds then, bitten-off moans and breathless little words without meaning. Jensen slid down and took him in his mouth, making him writhe and buck. Jensen held him down by his strong thighs, showcasing the kind of muscle one got from spending a long time in the saddle. A cavalry man, then, or a courier.  
  
Jensen moved lower. Jared’s breath hitched, and then Jensen carefully started opening him up with his tongue and fingers. Jared was tight - he probably hadn’t done this in a long time or maybe had never done it at all, and that just made it all the much hotter.  
  
When Jensen found that place inside of him, Jared arched off the mattress.  
  
“Oh skies, please, that, shit…”  
  
Jensen would grin smugly if he wasn’t so turned on. He needed to fuck Jared, _now_.  
  
He scooted up on the bed and slid in between Jared’s thighs.  
  
“You got anything?” he asked, even though he was almost sure of the answer.  
  
Jared’s eyes widened and he shook his head. “No, I wasn’t… Well, I have oil,” he mumbled almost unintelligible.  
  
Now _that_ Jensen could work with. He got off the bed, rifling through Jared’s bags as fast as he could, until he found a small bottle not unlike what he used to take care of Tonayr’s harness.  
  
He pushed the thoughts back and returned to Jared. He didn’t want to dwell on the past now.  
  
Jared looked more like a boy now, looking up at Jensen through his mussed hair, eyes strangely wide and reverent. Jensen crouched over him and coated his fingers in the oil.  
  
“Don’t worry, I’m gonna make this good for you.”  
  
He kissed Jared softly, while he prepped him. Only when Jared’s fingers dug into his ass did Jensen lose his composure, slicked himself up, and pushed inside the boy with one long move.  
  
Jared’s eyes flew open and his mouth formed a perfect O. Jensen froze, locking his muscles down even though every fibre of his body screamed with the desire to move. Jared was so hot, so tight, the pressure just unbelievably right, and Jensen _needed_ to move.  
  
Instead, he leaned down to nose at Jared’s throat. He’d never been so gentle with a hookup, but there was something about Jared that made him want to take care of him. When Jared relaxed minutely, Jensen softly rocked back and then forward again.  
  
“Good?” he asked, and he almost didn’t recognize the harsh rasp as his voice.  
  
Jared frantically nodded his head. “Skies, yes. Please.”  
  
The words tugged at something deep in Jensen, something he’d long buried, and he snapped his hips forward to drive it from his mind. He fucked Jared hard and fast, couldn’t bury himself deep enough in his body. Jared moved with him, pushing his hips up and drawing Jensen in deeper and deeper.  
  
“Winds, Jensen, please!”  
  
Jensen was panting, heart beating out of his chest while he chased after the release just out of reach, but he still managed to get a hand around Jared and jerk him off. Jared came with a hoarse shout of Jensen’s name, arching his back and clenched so tightly around him that Jensen’s vision whited out as his climax followed right after Jared’s.  
  
Jensen collapsed heavily onto Jared’s broad chest, trying futilely to get his breathing back under control.  
  
“Wow,” Jared said, panting quickly. “I didn’t expect that in my wildest dreams.”  
  
Jensen would roll his eyes if he wasn’t so boneless. With the last of his strength, he fished the nearest piece of clothing off the floor and wiped them clean before he lay down next to Jared. Usually he left instantly, but he definitely planned to have Jared again come morning.  
  
Distantly, he felt Tonayr’s amusement, but Jensen decided to ignore it. He’d sleep and then fuck Jared again. It was an excellent plan.  


 

 

 

 


	6. Second Arc: Part Two

  
  
  
  
  


 

 

 

 

  
  
  
Jensen woke up because someone was bustling around the room. He remembered the night before, so he wasn’t worried. He cracked one eye open and watched Jared pack his things. He wasn’t wearing a shirt and it was a damn fine view.  
  
“You in a hurry?” Jensen asked and Jared spun around.  
  
“You’re awake,” he stuttered, “I mean, obviously.”  
  
Jensen grinned invitingly. “I am. So why don’t you get your hot ass back into bed?”  
  
Jared looked torn, guiltily fumbling with the shirt in his hands.  
  
“C’mon, what’s an hour in the grand scheme of things?” Jensen asked, smirking, and Jared gave in.  
  
It was slower this time, intimate somehow, and Jensen enjoyed their lazy touches and Jared’s inquiring hands. He found the spots that drove Jensen crazy, put his mouth on all of them, and even though they were both in dire need of a bath, Jared took Jensen into his mouth and swallowed him down when he came.  
  
Jensen gave into the bliss for a while, but then remembered his manners and repaid the favor.  
  
“We need a bath,” he said afterwards and Jared laughed.  
  
“You sound like Haylee,” he said with a broad grin, flashing actual dimples. Jensen was so distracted by this revelation that he broke his ‘no-talking to the hook-ups’ rule and asked, “Haylee?”  
  
“My dragon,” Jared said as if it were the most natural thing in the world, and Jensen was out of the bed in a flash.  
  
“What do you mean, your dragon?” he bit out.  
  
Jared stared at him utterly confused. “Erm, well, my dragon? I’m not sure what else I could mean by that.”  
  
Everything fell into place. Jared’s physique, the equipment littering his room, even his choice of curses… “You’re a Rider!”  
  
“Well yeah,” Jared said. “What did you think? I mean I came here to…” Jared trailed off, coming to his own conclusions. His face shut down and he reached for his shirt.  
  
“You didn’t recognize me at all, did you?”  
  
Jensen searched his face, but nothing was ringing a bell. “No, not at all. Your dragon?”  
  
“Haylee,” Jared said and his voice was cold. “Long wings, bronze scales. We bonded in the spring three years ago.”  
  
Jensen wracked his brain and came up with a faint memory of a slightly unproportional, clumsy dragon and her lanky Rider.  
  
“Huh,” he said. “Seems like you grew up.”  
  
Jensen reached for his clothes and Jared got dressed as well. This was nothing he wanted to discuss naked. Actually, he didn’t want to discuss it at all. Since Jared hadn’t tried to kill him yet, there was only one reason for him to be here.  
  
“So last night,” Jared started, awkwardly shuffling around on bare feet. “When you said you knew why I was here, you thought I was here for… because you didn’t know I was a Rider.”  
  
Jensen rolled his eyes. “You can say it, you know. I thought you were looking for a fuck.”  
  
A slight blush crept into Jared’s cheeks, but Jensen chose to ignore how endearing he found it.  
  
“Okay,” Jared said, taking a deep breath. “Not that I regret last night, but it’s obviously not what I came here for. I came-”  
  
“I know why you came,” Jensen cut him off. “You want me to come back with you.”  
  
“Did someone tell you?” Jared asked.  
  
Jensen laughed harshly. “No, no one told me. But it’s the logical conclusion what with the mess going on back ho- in Nereya. You’re at war, Pellegrino is too powerful. The only two reasons for a Rider to look me up would either be to kill me - and since you didn’t do that when you had plenty of chances - then it must be that you want me to come back and help you.”  
  
Jared nodded and his face was a mixture of hope and dread. “And you will, right? You’ll come back with us.”  
  
“No,” Jensen said and went looking for his boots.  
  
It was quiet behind him. When he turned around, Jared was staring at him, completely stunned.  
  
“No. You can’t say no. You’re Jensen Ackles. You’re Jensen fucking Ackles. You’re Nereya’s biggest hero since-”  
  
“I’m not a hero, kid,” Jensen scoffed, “just a Rider doing his job. Besides, is that what you do with a hero? Cast him out of the only home he ever knew?”  
  
“That was all Pellegrino’s doing!” Jared yelled. “And you know it!”  
  
Jensen glared at Jared. “You have no idea what you’re talking about. No one opposed the decision. No one stood up for us! They were happy to cast us aside if it meant protecting their precious Republic, even though it had started to rot from the inside long ago.”  
  
Jared narrowed his eyes at him. “Look, I get that what happened to you was crappy-”  
  
“Crappy?”  
  
“... but we need you! You swore an oath! And you can’t punish an entire country just because the politicians screwed up. Think of all the people, all the innocent people. How can you just leave them to their fate?”  
  
Jensen focused on the anger, so the guilt wouldn’t start to creep in. “Jared, this is not up for discussion. You want to fight to keep a broken system in place? Feel free. I won’t have any part in it. There’s always fighting somewhere - that’s the way the world works - and this time war hit Nereya. Tough luck.”  
  
Jared’s mouth opened and closed wordlessly and his expression flickered from incredulous to furious.  
  
“Tough luck? Thousands of people dying, you call that _tough luck_? What the fuck is wrong with you? It’s your home!”  
  
The words cut deep, right down to the bottom of the darkness in Jensen’s soul.  
  
“I don’t have a home anymore,” he said, and turned around to leave the room. Jared called after him, but Jensen slammed the door in his face. He needed to get out.  
  
  
When he walked up into the mountains, he felt strangely light all of a sudden. It took him a few moments to figure out why. He hadn’t felt this way in a long time, but Tonayr’s happiness was flowing in a soothing stream over their link. His dragon was happy, really and truly happy, without the tinges of anger, disappointment, and resignation that had colored his emotions for so long.  
  
 _What makes you so happy?_ Jensen asked when he was close enough to communicate over their link.  
  
Instead of answering, Tonayr sent him the picture of a dragon. She was beautiful, bronze scales glinting in the sun, long wings gracefully held against her side. Her face was cute and breathtaking all at once; long slightly curved horns gracefully adorning the back of her head while her snout tapered off into an adorable beak.  
  
Jensen stopped short. Not that all that wasn’t true, but he would never be that taken by a dragon’s appearance. No, what he was feeling was Tonayr being taken with her.  
  
She seemed familiar somehow and suddenly it clicked. She’d grown since the last time he’d seen her; her body had caught up to her wings and she no longer looked disproportional.  
  
 _So you met Haylee_ , Jensen stated.  
  
 _I did_ , Tonayr answered. His voice was calm, but it belied the emotions surrounding Haylee’s name.  
  
 _And you like her._  
  
Tonayr didn’t hesitate. _She was very nice, agreeable company. Quite smart and mature for such a young dragon._  
  
Jensen followed the last bend of the path and came face to face with Tonayr, who was sunning himself in front of Jensen’s hut.  
  
“No, I meant you _liked_ her,” he said, habit making him speak the words out loud. He’d taken to talking to Tonayr out loud when he hadn’t seen other people for weeks, when he’d needed to hear a human voice every once in a while, even though it was his own.  
  
Tonayr drew the ridges over his eyes together. _What? No, it’s not like that, it can’t be. She is much too young. I just enjoyed her company._  
  
Jensen wasn’t convinced, but he let it go. If he expected Tonayr not to speak to him about uncomfortable subjects, he’d offer him the same courtesy.  
  
 _I gather you’ve met her Rider._  
  
“What gave me away?” Jensen asked, wondering what his emotions must feel like to Tonayr.  
  
 _You reek of sex,_ Tonayr said dryly. _You should take a bath._  
  
Jensen knew Tonayr was right, but that didn’t stop him from shooting his dragon a pissed glare. It was only later, when he was washing all traces of his night with Jared away, that he wondered how Tonayr had known the guy he’d slept with had been Jared. In the end, he decided this was also not something he wanted to think about. It came too close to the hurt look in Jared’s eyes, that had nothing to do with Jensen’s refusal to go back to Nereya. Denial had worked rather well for him these past years.  
  


 

  
  
  
A huge shadow darkened the sun while Jensen was sharpening his knives. He looked up to see Kahleya’s big body flying circles in the sky, the light blue underside of her belly blending perfectly with the sky above her. Tonayr looked up to her, then back to Jensen.  
  
 _I think I prefer her quietness over your mopey self_ , he said and swung himself up into the air.  
  
Much like her Rider, Chris’ dragon wasn’t very chatty. The dragons still enjoyed being close to each other, so they would probably fly to a nice spot and curl up in each other, using their combined body heat to raise their temperature.  
  
Jensen went back to his knives, but he paid attention to the noise around him, listening for the inevitable sounds of heavy boots on dry earth. He didn’t have to wait long.  
  
“I had a feeling you’d stop by,” he said, not looking up.  
  
Chris huffed and sat down across from him. He picked up one of the knives and a whetstone and helped Jensen out. He didn’t say a word, not until Jensen was finally done and looked at him exasperatedly.  
  
Back in the day, Chris had been the best interrogator the Wings had ever seen. He could read people like nobody else and he’d always intuitively known how to crack them. Jensen had never dealt well with the heavy silence.  
  
“So,” Chris drawled. Even after all this time, he hadn’t lost his hometown’s accent.  
  
“So what?” Jensen asked, trying to stay calm. He was pretty sure he knew what was coming. Chris had been working through his issues like he always did; not talking to anyone but the lute in his hands.  
  
“It’s time, Jensen. It’s time to go back.”  
  
“We were exiled, Chris. There is no going back.”  
  
Chris leaned back against a stone and pulled a pipe out of his coat pocket. He put it down on the ground, reached for a bag with tobacco and then meticulously started to stuff his pipe.  
  
“You know, I was angry too,” he said, eyes fixed on the pipe. “I was angry for a long time. Pellegrino played us and no one stood up for us. Well, no one except for Morgan, but that didn’t work out so well either.”  
  
Chris put the little leather bag back into his coat.  
  
“But here’s the thing, Jensen. You can’t be angry all your life. It’s gonna eat you up. You have to deal with it one way or another. I have my music. Dani chose to fight. I think every time she kills someone she still imagines Pellegrino’s face. But you… You just sit around and wallow. I haven’t said anything before, because I understood that you needed time, but this is what you need to do with it. This is what you can do with your anger. Take it and carry it back to Nereya and then use it to destroy Pellegrino. You were always at your best when you were pissed,” he added with a little smirk. “Most people run hot when they’re angry. You run cold.”  
  
“I won’t go back,” Jensen said. Chris might be right, but he would not return to Nereya. “They made this mess and they can deal with it. They threw us out, I won’t lift a finger for them.”  
  
Chris looked up at him then. “You sound like a petulant child whose toy has been taken away.”  
  
Jensen recoiled as if Chris had slapped him. “They _exiled_ us.”  
  
Chris leaned forward, and for the first time, there was emotion in his blue eyes. “A bunch of power hungry men exiled us. The rest of the people had so much trust in the system we protected that they didn’t dare speak out. And if we had stayed and fought…”  
  
“There would have been civil war,” Jensen said. It was the same thing he’d said back then, when they’d packed their things after the judges had passed the verdict. They’d known Pellegrino set them up, but had no way to prove it, and Jensen hadn’t been ready to risk innocent peoples’ lives in the bloodshed sure to follow, if they’d challenge the council’s decision.  
  
“And what do we have now?” Chris asked. “It’s even worse, and Pellegrino will have more people on his side now. We screwed up back then, Jensen, and we should have fixed it.”  
  
“We couldn’t have known,” Jensen said, “and it’s not like politics were our responsibility anyway.”  
  
Chris shook his head. “We’re Riders, Jensen. The Republic’s well-being is always our responsibility. Now we have a chance to go back and fix it.”  
  
But Jensen couldn’t forgive. The country he’d vowed to protect had betrayed him.  
  
“I won’t stop you if you want to go back with Jared. But I’m not coming with you.”  
  
Instead of being angry, Chris just eyed him scrutinizingly. “Yeah, we’ll see.” Then he lit the pipe, took a deep drag and offered it to Jensen. Taking it, Jensen leaned back, inhaling the rough and heady aroma of the pipe deep into his lungs. He tried to push their conversation from his mind, but he wasn’t all that successful.  
  


 

  
  
  
Tonayr didn’t come back until the next morning, but his belly was full with beef and he seemed more relaxed than before. Jensen was glad for him, even if a calm state of mind eluded him. He just couldn’t get Jared out of his mind, not how he’d been in bed with him, yielding and passionate, and not how he’d yelled at him the next morning, still passionate, but hard as steel.  
  
Again, a shadow crossed the ground and Jensen looked up, expecting to see Kahleya again, but it was a bronze dragon already descending and heading straight for them.  
  
 _So this is Haylee,_ Jensen mused. He could see what Tonayr saw in her: she was graceful in the sky and her features were pleasing. She landed a few feet away from them and there was smoke curling from her nostrils. Her whole posture was tense, projecting aggression. Haylee was pissed.  
  
 _She wants to talk to you,_ Tonayr said, slightly apprehensive. Then he pushed their link wide open and Jensen could hear everything Haylee said. He wished he couldn’t.  
  
 _You,_ she hissed. _You are supposed to be a hero. Not some washed up, no good asshole hiding in the mountains like a coward and doing nothing but wallow in self-pity the whole day!_  
  
“Now hold on,” Jensen said, but she spewed fire into his face, hot air rushing past him. He thought she might even have singed his eyebrows.  
  
 _I am not done. We crossed half of the known world to find you. Jared left everything behind and risked the lives of his friends and family. If Pellegrino finds out where he went they’re all in danger, and you, you sent him away! You fucked him and then you tossed him aside, like he meant nothing! You don’t even deserve to touch the ground he walks on!_  
  
“I had no idea who he was,” Jensen tried to defend himself and Haylee let another flame roar up into the sky.  
  
 _You should have realized the moment you met him. Jared is special and he looked up to you - he worshipped your memory and you trampled it with your feet. And that doesn’t even touch on you refusing to help out your home._  
  
Jensen crossed his arms in front of his chest. “As I already told Jared, it’s not my home anymore.”  
  
Haylee actually rolled her eyes and turned to Tonayr. The link remained open, so Jensen could hear every word she hissed out.  
  
 _And what kind of dragon are you to let your Rider go off the rails like this? You’re supposed to look out for him!”_  
  
 _I was exiled too,_ Tonayr said, _You’re too young to understand, but I needed time to grieve as well._  
  
Jensen had no difficulty seeing the contempt in Haylee’s eyes.  
  
 _It’s no excuse. You have an obligation. You were a legend, one of the first dragons I ever learned about, and I come out here and find this. The only one living up to her reputation is Shayleen. Really, how you could even think that I-_  
  
Abruptly, the link closed, and while Jensen could feel Tonayr’s embarrassment, he couldn’t hear Haylee anymore.  
  
 _Tonayr?_ he asked, but his dragon pushed him out.  
  
Haylee shot Jensen another pissed look, roared at him, and then left.  
  
After a short silence, Jensen turned to look at his dragon. Tonary was sitting there crestfallen, winds drooping to the ground. Jensen had never seen him like that.  
  
“What did she say?” he asked.  
  
Tonayr’s head shot up and he regained his composure.  
  
 _That you need to apologize to Jared and that we need to help them. Obviously._  
  
Jensen could sense there was more to it. He didn’t push it though. Tonayr didn’t want to share his obvious embarrassment with him. Instead, Jensen looked angrily down to the valley where Greenwood lay and Jared was probably sitting in the Golden Boar, drinking a beer. This whole mess was his fault and it was also his fault that Tonayr was looking like his world had just come crumbling down. Jensen hadn’t felt this protective of his dragon in a long time, simply because there weren’t many things that could threaten Tonayr, and he’d never shown such emotional vulnerability before.  
  
Jared and Haylee needed to go, for the sake of Jensen’s peace of mind and everyone else’s.  
  


 

  
  
  
Jared was sitting outside behind the little barn next to the Golden Boar. He’d taken off his vest, shoes, and socks, and was trying to enjoy the sun. Ever since the morning when he’d realized that everything with Jensen has been a giant mistake, he hadn’t been able to get warm. If this continued, he’d have to start sleeping with Haylee in the mountains.  
  
He tried to block out all thoughts and just listen to the soft rustling of the wind and birds chirping in the distance.  
  
  
He was pulled out of his musings when he heard quick footsteps approaching. He looked up just in time to see Jensen storming angrily over from the tavern.  
  
“You need to leave,” he snarled at Jared. “Today.”  
  
Jared stood up, trying to even the playing field by getting his height advantage back. But it didn’t help, the sight of Jensen still made his knees weak and his heart beat accelerate, even though anger and disappointment threatened to win out.  
  
“What the fuck is your problem?” Jared asked.  
  
“My problem? I’ll tell you what my problem is. You showing up here and dragging all this crap up again. I was happy here, I’d made peace with my life, but now you and your dimples are here and you’re looking at me like - I don’t even know and now your dragon is bothering mine-”  
  
That got Jared his voice back. “Oh no, you don’t. Don’t you dare to say one word about her. Haylee has done nothing wrong!”  
  
“She was accosting Tonayr, she needs to back the fuck off!”  
  
Jared snorted. “First off, I don’t tell her what to do. We’re a team. And secondly, from what I remember, I doubt she could bother Tonayr against his will.”  
  
Jensen changed tactics then, crowding Jared against the wall of the barn. “What are you even still doing here? I told you to leave me alone.”  
  
“You might be the biggest disappointment of my life, but I’m not ready to give up on you yet. I will save Nereya and you’re still my best shot, despite being a washed-up, cynical asshole.”  
  
Jensen laughed bitterly. “You thought I would be your hero, huh? That I would just save you?”  
  
Jared pushed his chin out. “The last time I saw you, you were a hero. You were a proud man, but a good man. You always did what was right, fought for the people. I refuse to believe that that man has disappeared.”  
  
Jensen shook his head with a sardonic grin. “He didn’t disappear, kid, he died. The Republic burned him right out of me when they exiled me.”  
  
Jared shook his head. If Jensen was so angry, there just had to be something left of the man he once was.  
  
“I don’t believe that,” he said stubbornly, clinging to the hope that some part of Jensen still had to care.  
  
Jensen pushed in closer, their chests almost touching and the contact made Jared dizzy. Green eyes were glinting cruelly, hard and hungry, and Jensen licked his lips.  
  
“So you want me to be your hero? To save you?”  
  
Jared nodded, suddenly unable to speak. Jensen’s hands curled around his hips, thumbs digging in next to his hipbones just above the waist of his pants. Then Jensen surged forward and kissed him hard, mouth biting at Jared’s lips, and Jared was unable to do anything but react. He reached for Jensen and held onto his shoulders, the shape of them already familiar under his hands.  
  
Jensen growled and slammed him into the wall, stealing the air out of his mouth with every angry swipe of his tongue.  
  
“I won't, you understand?” Jensen asked into his mouth, hands already tugging on Jared’s pants, pulling the laces open.  
  
“The fuck you will,” Jared panted out, trying to get a hold of himself. He couldn’t think - Jensen’s mouth and his hands wouldn’t let him - so he focused on the burning anger in Jensen’s words. He just had to make him _see_.  
  
“I know you fucking care,” he said, getting his hands under Jensen’s shirt and digging his nails into the hard muscles. “You’re just too pissed to admit it.”  
  
“Damn right I’m pissed,” Jensen muttered and reached into Jared’s opened pants, grabbing his dick firmly. Jared was already hard, had been from the first moment Jensen touched him, and he couldn’t stop his hips from bucking up into Jensen’s fist.  
  
“But it’s time to get over it,” Jared managed to get out, trying to grip the back of Jensen's neck and pull him in for a kiss. Jensen went with a moan, mouth crashing into Jared’s, biting viciously until he drew blood. Jared needed _more_.  
  
“You have no idea what you’re talking about,” Jensen shot back, jacking Jared harder, pushing him towards his climax way too fast.  
  
Jared pushed him back with all his strength, looking him dead in the eyes. “Yeah, I do,” he said breathing hard. “I don’t know what it means to be betrayed like that, but I know what it means to feel the worst possible pain rip you apart.”  
  
Jensen was frozen, dark eyes with pupils blown wide staring at Jared, so raw and open, all of his defenses down, and Jared could see right through him. He leaned forward slowly and touched his lips to Jensen's almost tenderly, trying to comfort him, to tell him it was okay.  
  
Jensen stayed still, letting it happen, until Jared breathed out a quiet, “Jensen. Please.”  
  
Jensen exploded in motion, pushing Jared away and shoving him around at the same time, slamming him face first into the wall.  
  
“So this what you want, huh?”  
  
He ripped Jared’s pants down and kicked his legs apart, giving Jared no time to properly process what was happening until a spit-slick finger pressed against his opening.  
  
“Is it? Tell me, Jared!”  
  
Jared closed his eyes and nodded, not quite sure what he was agreeing too, but he could sense that Jensen needed this and he did too. He needed Jensen to take him apart and show him he cared by putting him back together again.  
  
Jensen’s fingers pushed in, too much and too dry, but Jared pushed back onto them anyway. Jensen was muttering behind him, but over the rushing in his ears, Jared only understood half of it.  
  
“Fucking skies… so fucking beautiful… what are you doing to me, I won’t… can’t make me…”  
  
Jared thrust back hard, arching his back, and with a groan Jensen pulled his fingers out. Jared heard him spit into his hand and then Jensen’s dick pressed wetly against his ass. Jared knew that this would hurt and he didn’t give a damn.  
  
“Please,” he begged.  
  
Jensen answered with a hoarse, “Yes.”  
  
He pushed inside him and Jared couldn’t focus on anything other than Jensen hot and hard inside of him. When he was all the way in, chest to back, breath gushing over Jared’s neck, Jensen stilled.  
  
“Skies!”  
  
Jared let himself lean into the wall, felt the rough wood of the barn against his cheek and his hands, felt the stubble of Jensen’s scruff rub against his shoulder. Jensen’s hands trailed up and down his sides, the sun shone on his hair, and warm air wafted against his sweat slicked skin.  
  
But it wasn’t enough. He clenched around Jensen, pain and pleasure shooting up his spine, and with a moan, Jensen pulled back before slamming back into him. He set a fast rhythm, hips snapping forward mercilessly, and Jared pushed back as hard as he could, bracing himself against the wall. Jensen's mouth found his neck, worried his skin, and bit down until he drew blood.  
  
The pain was almost too much, but then Jensen shifted his stance and his dick brushed against that spot inside of Jared, making the pain nothing more than a hard edge to sharpen the pleasure. He felt his rhythm falter, couldn’t control his hips anymore, just mindlessly seeking friction, but he was distantly aware that Jensen wasn’t doing much better, hips moving in erratic motions.  
  
He shoved up roughly, hit Jared’s sweet spot dead-on, and Jared came hard, orgasm hitting him out of nowhere. Through the waves of pleasure wrecking his body, he could feel Jensen shudder and jerk behind him, heard him shout out Jared’s name, before they both fell still and leaned heavily against the wall.  
  
Jared held his breath, waiting for Jensen to say something, do something, acknowledge in any way what had just happened, but he just stepped back, pulling out quietly. Jared didn’t dare to turn around. He didn’t want to see what he’d find.  
  
In the quiet of the day, he heard the rustling of clothes, the soft clink of a belt being closed, and then steps - moving away.  
  
Jared scrambled to pull up his pants, but he didn’t turn around. He leaned into the wall and cursed the tear running down his face while Jensen walked off.  
  


 

  
  
It was a little before sunset when Jensen reached his small hut. He hadn’t exactly hurried on the way back. He’d felt the urge to go up high into the skies, but he had a feeling that Tonayr would be less than pleased with him when he found out what had happened. When Jensen walked by him, Tonayr tilted his head and sniffed him once.  
  
 _So you changed your mind._  
  
Jensen hated that Tonayr sounded satisfied.  
  
“No, I didn’t,” he bit out.  
  
He could feel his dragon’s confusion as he sniffed at Jensen again to make sure he’d smelled right, that it was Jared’s scent on Jensen’s skin.  
  
 _But…_  
  
“No.” Jensen said, projecting enough anger to end the conversation. “Just... no.”  
  
It didn’t work though. Tonayr got up on all fours and walked over to Jensen so he could stare him right in the face, eyes so dark they were almost black.  
  
 _But why? Why won’t you go back?_  
  
“What, _you_ actually want to?” Jensen asked in disbelief. “Have you forgotten how they treated us? We gave them everything, our whole lives! We never took anything for ourselves, and they thanked us by banning us from our home? And you want to go back?”  
  
Jensen didn’t understand. He’d felt Tonayr’s bitterness, as much as his own.  
  
 _Yes,_ Tonayr said calmly, _but with purpose behind it. I miss my home. I miss our purpose. I might have been angry in the beginning, but priorities shift. Perception shifts. And I do miss the company._  
  
“You’re a dragon. You’re solitary by nature. And you’re an especially antisocial bastard, just like me.”  
  
He could feel a flicker of Tonayr’s amusement, but it was drenched in bitterness. _I’m bonded to a human, even though he’s an antisocial bastard. I can’t just go live in the wild and do nothing but sun and hunt. I’m not an animal, and you know that. It’s boring and meaningless. You might be able to sit in a pub all day and drown your sorrows in alcohol, but I can’t do that. You might be able to wallow in self-pity, I can’t. You might be content with never finding a mate, but I’m not!_  
  
Tonayr’s voice was getting louder, resounding through Jensen’s mind and the anger coming over their link was almost overwhelming. Every one of his words felt like the stab of a knife right into Jensen’s heart.  
  
 _You’re so caught up in your own self-righteous wallowing that you can’t see anybody else’s pain. Not even mine. And not the pain of those back home you used to be so proud to protect._  
  
Jensen’s legs gave out under him and he sat down on a small boulder. He knew Tonayr was right. He’d buried himself in the anger and tried to use it to burn the pain away. Obviously, he’d failed spectacularly. When Jared had shown up, he’d just pushed it down deeper and deeper, because there was a part of him that had always known they could have stayed and fought. But they had been so angry, so hurt... Jensen hadn’t wanted to stay. It hadn’t taken him long to realize what a petty mistake he’d made, but by then it had been too late. He’d had to live with it. Or so he’d thought. Apparently, now everybody was of a different opinion.  
  
“Why didn’t you say anything before?” Jensen asked helplessly. He’d never in his life felt as bad as he did now. He’d failed Tonayr, his oldest companion, his best friend, the other half to his soul and the most amazing creature to walk this earth.  
  
 _I didn’t think it would make a difference,_ his dragon said. _And I was… resigned to this. I was living in a rut, just letting the days pass by. But now, things have changed._  
  
“You want Haylee, don’t you?” That much Jensen had been able to pick up on, even though their link was almost closed most of the time.  
  
Tonayr fixed his eyes on him, a harsh yellow. Jensen called them his poker eyes, because they were the color that gave nothing away.  
  
 _Yes, I do. She showed up while you were with Jared, but she left after a short time. I didn’t realize at first and I’m not sure why exactly I feel drawn to her... she’s still so young._ Tonayr was quiet for a moment, and his eyes went soft, changed to a warmer amber. _Maybe it’s because she’s so young. Despite everything, she hasn’t lost her innocence, her ideals. She still has hope, believes in the good. Her presence is a balm to my soul. And, apart from Shayleen, she’s the fiercest dragon I have ever seen._  
  
“I’m glad for you,” Jensen said, and it was true. It was the first time that Tonayr had really wanted another dragon as his mate, and Jensen knew it was something he’d wanted for a long time.  
  
 _We would be a good fit. After all, you want her Rider._  
  
“No, I don’t.” His denial was a knee-jerk reaction. Jensen didn’t want a partner, and certainly not someone like Jared.  
  
Tonayr looked at him, the ridge over his left eye raised in the ultimate you’re-not-fooling-me expression. _You slept with him._  
  
“Yeah, well, a man has needs.”  
  
 _I know,_ the dragon said, _but that didn’t feel like simply sating your carnal desires._  
  
Jensen wasn’t particularly disturbed by Tonayr feeling his emotions during sex; that was nothing new and there was no room for secrets or embarrassment between dragon and Rider. Still, it unsettled him that the dragon had so clearly realized what he’d tried not to think about.  
  
“I’m not gonna say it wasn’t intense, because it was. But it’s complicated. The same things you adore in Haylee, I can’t bear them in Jared. I just can’t feel that way anymore.”  
  
Jensen walked over to Tonayr and sat down on his tail. It was something that used to be such a natural thing to do, but he couldn’t remember the last time they’d been so casually intimate. Their bond had weakened, and he’d let it.  
  
“I was his idol,” Jensen said when Tonayr stayed quiet. “I could see it in his eyes, the disappointment when he realized that I’m not that person anymore. That I’m not the brave hero he wants me to be.”  
  
 _You used to be,_ Tonayr said. _We used to be._  
  
Jensen didn’t answer for a long time, staring out across the grassland. It was all wrong. The grass was too green and too long, the river’s color was more green than blue, and the roads were missing the tint of red in their stamped earth. It was all wrong, because it wasn't home. But there was this deep dark pit in him that had festered for so long. Jensen knew he wasn’t the same man as before.  
  
“I don’t think I know how to go back,” he admitted quietly.  
  
Tonayr shuffled around, curling himself around the tip of his tail and propping up his wings halfway, cocooning Jensen with his body.  
  
 _There is someone there who wants to help you with that. Let him, Jensen. Please let him._  
  
Jensen looked up at the tiny piece of sky he could see between the tips of Tonayr’s dark wings. It was blue and cloudless, a perfect day for flying.  
  
Tonayr felt the same and he pushed their link wide open when he remembered all their flights. The first one, when Tonayr had finally reached the mountain and just scooped him up and taken him into the air before they’d even exchanged a word.  
  
The first flight on the training grounds and the first time Jensen had understood what it meant when people looked at him in admiration. The first time they had flown into battle, the thrill of the fight, the two of them working as one, and the satisfaction because of the lives they saved.  
  
Their last, when Tonayr had landed just a few miles away, and they had looked out over the mountains, ignoring the green Plains, and didn’t care it was ugly and unforgiving land, because they couldn’t bear to be in the air without their purpose for one second longer. They’d traveled the world aimlessly for a long time, but no place could hold their interest and they were just done. They hadn’t been able to take it anymore.  
  
Jensen didn’t need to say anything. Tonayr just spread his wings and Jensen put his foot on the spike at the back of his leg and, with a move executed a thousand times before, he gripped the first joint of Tonayr’s wing and pulled himself up just as the dragon lifted his leg and his wing. Jensen was sitting on his back in a second, and he slowly reached out to the short spikes running down Tonayr’s back.  
  
“Thank you.”  
  
Tonayr crouched and spread his wings. With a powerful leap, he was up in the air and Jensen's body moved with Tonayr’s without thought. They climbed higher and higher, wind getting colder and stronger. Jensen wanted to blame it on not being in the air for so long when a tear escaped his eyes.  
  
 _I know,_ Tonayr said and took them higher. It was a long time before they came down again.  
  


 

  
  
  
The spare pair of pants went into the bag first, tightly rolled up. It was heavy, so it had to be put at the bottom. Slowly, mechanically, Jared continued to pack the rest of his belongings. His head was still pounding and he actually thought there was some left-over alcohol in his system from his pity party the night before. He tried not to think about Jensen, because thinking about Jensen would mean thinking about his failure. He hadn’t been able to find any help for the Republic; it would be on him and his friends now to change things while keeping everything together, and fighting a war on two borders.  
  
Jared had no idea how they would go about their revolution, or what needed to be done to overthrow Pellegrino’s triumvirate. Sure, Jared had studied their history, but back when the Republic had been formed, everyone had hated the king and loved the Riders. Nowadays, people had lost their trust in the Wings.  
  
A knock at the door startled him out of his dark thoughts and his heart started beating faster. Maybe…  
  
“It’s open,” he yelled.  
  
When the door opened, it was only Kane. Jared tried to hide his disappointment but he must not have succeeded, because Kane laughed.  
  
“Sorry, kid,” he offered, “but Jensen is still sulking.”  
  
“Yeah, no, I wasn’t-” Jared broke off, not even sure what he wanted to say.  
  
“You’re packing?” Kane asked.  
  
Jared shrugged his shoulders. “The situation in Nereya isn’t getting better. I need to go back and do what I can.”  
  
Kane walked over and sat down on the bed. “I thought you came here to find help? You giving up already?”  
  
Jared glared at him. “Jensen made it perfectly clear that he won’t go back to Nereya. And I certainly won’t beg him!”  
  
“Ouch. Well, I think you should stick around for a day more.”  
  
Jared looked at Kane sharply. “Why?”  
  
“Well, for one thing, I have decided to go back with you. Granted, I’m no Jensen, but I’ll be one more Rider on your side and out for Pellegrino’s blood.” Kane smiled, and it was hard and feral. For the first time, Jared thought he got a glimpse of the man their enemies had feared. “I need to get my things together, but I should be ready to leave tomorrow.”  
  
“Thank you,” Jared sincerely. “Really. It means a lot.”  
  
Kane shrugged it off. “Hey, you're right. I’m not saying I’m not still mad as fuck, but we can’t punish the people for it. And my hatred for Pellegrino outweighs whatever anger I feel for those who sold us out, so really, it’s time.”  
  
“And Jensen?” Jared asked, not knowing if he wanted the answer. His cheeks still burned in shame when he remembered the last time they had spoken. Or, the last time they had fucked would be more accurate. He felt himself redden deeply. Jensen had just taken all his anger and frustration out on him and, because Jared apparently still had bits of that pathetic crush left, he’d begged him for more. Definitely not his finest hour.  
  
“Jensen will come with us,” Kane said with conviction. “But not before tomorrow.”  
  
“Did you talk to him?” Jared asked, completely stunned. Had Jensen really changed his mind?  
  
“No.” Kane shook his head. “But I saw him and Tonayr take to the skies earlier, and it’s been a long time since they were both up there. Trust me, kid, they’ll come.”  
  
With that, he stood up, clapped Jared on the shoulder and walked out the door. “Give him some time, and he’ll come around,” was the last thing he said before he disappeared down the stairs.  
  
Jared was left in the half-packed chaos of his room, with no idea what was going on.  
  
  
  
 _Haylee!_  
  
He was running down the stairs and outside, calling over their bond as loud as he could. Haylee had been agitated the whole day, flying circles in the sky, her manner of pacing like a caged animal. She came diving down instantly.  
  
 _What?_ she asked, worry in her tone.  
  
Jared jumped onto her back as soon as she landed. _Up_ , he said, _I just need to get up._  
  
Haylee pushed up from the ground, climbing higher and higher in wide corkscrews until they were so high that his breath was forming little clouds in the air.  
  
 _Will you tell me what’s going on?_  
  
“Kane said he will come with us. And so will Jensen.”  
  
Haylee was quiet for a moment. _That’s very good_ , she said carefully.  
  
“Yeah, I know. I just don’t know what this means for me. Does he hate me? Does he… is there even the chance of something more?"  
  
Halyee snorted. _Yesterday you said you hated him and you never wanted to see him again. Remember that? When you were drowning your sorrows in whiskey and telling me that you were done with him, once and for all?_  
  
Jared looked down at her scales, big and hard on her back. He traced the outlines with his fingers, stalling. He didn’t know how to explain this to her.  
  
 _I understand that you’re hurt_ , she said softly. _But I can sense that you still have strong emotions for him._  
  
“I don’t understand why! He’s a coward and an ass, he treated me like shit, and-”  
  
 _No, he isn’t, not really, and I think you know that. He’s hurting and confused and they’ve been alone for too long. They’ve been hiding here in the mountains, and every day their anger had time to fester more. The heroes they used to be, I think they’re still there. We just have to dig them out._  
  
Jared didn’t miss the shift in pronouns.  
  
“You like him,” he stated and he didn’t mean Jensen.  
  
 _We all make mistakes,_ was all Haylee said though, _and I think we all deserve a chance to atone for them._  
  


 

  
  
  
Jensen entered the Golden Boar the next evening. Jared had already debated whether Chris might have been wrong about him and ordered himself a drink. Jensen walked in, ordered a beer at the bar in passing, and sat down across from Jared. He was wearing completely unassuming clothes, dark pants and boots, a shirt that probably used to be white at some point and had shifted to a light beige now, and a simple vest over it. He was still the most beautiful man Jared had ever seen, and Jared hated himself for thinking that, even after all the crap Jensen had pulled.  
  
“By all means, have a seat,” Jared grumbled, hiding his discomfort by taking a large gulp of beer.  
  
Lindsey came over then, bringing Jensen his beer, and her eyes darted back and forth between them. “Anything else I can get you boys?” she asked and Jared shook his head.  
  
He didn't miss how she lingered, trying to listen in on their conversation. Which was why he waited until she was out of earshot, to ask, “So?”  
  
Jensen’s whole posture was tense, screaming that he didn’t want to be here. “Tonayr and I have talked about what’s going on in Nereya and we’ve decided to go back.”  
  
“Really?” Jared asked skeptically. “That easy?”  
  
Jensen let out a hollow laugh. “Nothing about this is easy. Do you have any idea what’s coming for us? Tonayr and I traveled enough before we came here, and I’ve seen countries ripped apart by civil war. Trust me, it’s an ugly thing.”  
  
“It’s already ugly. And Pellegrino is playing a dangerous game, letting the war go on so he can use it for his own purposes. People are already dying, and if he goes too far, he won’t be able to turn back.”  
  
Reluctantly, Jensen nodded. “We can try to take him out, of course, but Jared, it won’t solve the problem. Chris and me, we can take over the Black Wing and turn the war around, but it won’t change how things are run in the Capital. You realize that, right?”  
  
“Well, yes,” Jared said, “I know that. We’ll also have to get rid of Pellegrino’s friends and restore the old constitution. And we need to get rid of the priests.”  
  
“What? What’s your problem with the Priests? I mean yeah, Sheppard has to go, but otherwise…”  
  
“Did you know they were lying?” Jared asked, his voice still shaking with anger when he thought about it. “You don’t need the ceremony to fully open the link, it forms on its own.”  
  
Jensen looked pensive, but not really surprised. “You’re sure?” he asked.  
  
“Yeah. Codey and Felicia never participated in the ceremony.”  
  
Jensen drew back, eyeing him suspiciously. “Who are Codey and Felicia?”  
  
Jared explained about the new laws concerning women and the changes in the Wings. Jensen was outraged, but when Jared came to the part where he made the journey with an inexperienced dragon and a new Rider, his anger turned on Jared.  
  
“What the hell were you thinking, taking them with you? If anything had happened-”  
  
“Yeah, well they couldn’t stay in Nereya,” Jared cut him off angrily. “It’s called compassion, jackass. I know you lost yours along the way, but try to at least get it back.”  
  
Jensen looked like Jared had hit him in the face, before his features evened out back to his mask of aloof indifference.  
  
“With your bleeding heart attitude you won’t get far fighting a war,” Jensen remarked, emptying his tankard.  
  
Jared just snorted. “Because yours is so much better.”  
  
“At least I’m a realist,” Jensen said, almost sounding bored. “You have this crazy idea that my return will change the whole game but it won’t. Even if people are as desperate as you say, there will be a lot of people who don’t want to see me return, starting with everyone holding a position of power.”  
  
Jared took a deep breath, trying to stay calm. “I never said it would be easy. But you are the only one who can save us, so suck it up. We need to win the war and we need to restore order to the country, and-”  
  
“Yeah, and I really don’t know what you want me to do about that. I’m not a politician, Jared, I’m a warrior.”  
  
His hands balled into fists on their own accord and Jared forced himself to relax them. He needed to stay rational to talk some sense into Jensen, and yelling probably wouldn’t help him. “I know you’re not a politician, but you could be the symbol for what the Republic used to stand for!”  
  
“But don’t you see, Jared?” Jensen asked and there was a flicker of emotion in his eyes. “If the Republic needs a symbol to hold it together, it’s already failed! The whole idea of the Riders flying for the greater good, the people making the decisions, it failed. Democracy doesn’t work.”  
  
Jared shook his head angrily. “No. We just grew complacent, that’s all. Like everything else that’s good in life, you have to fight tooth and nail to get it and to keep it. The Republic works, as long as the people fight for it.”  
  
Jensen leaned back, crossing his arms over his chest. “I thought the whole point was that there shouldn’t be fighting.”  
  
Jared rolled his eyes. “In what kind of world were you living? Life is always a fight.”  
  
“And when did you become so wise, _boy_?”  
  
Jared clenched his fists, but the memories of his parents’ burned bodies came unbidden. He could still smell the smoke like it had been yesterday, could still hear the creaking of the wood and the absolute silence of a place shrouded in death.  
  
He pulled himself out of the memories, and Jensen was watching him with a strange look. There was regret in there and even tenderness.  
  
“I’m sorry,” he said stiffly, “I shouldn't have assumed.”  
  
Jared wanted to shrug it off, but he didn’t feel like it.  
  
“Yeah, you really shouldn’t. You seem to think I’m this young inexperienced boy, but I’m not. I have been a Rider for almost four years, been fighting for two. I’ve killed. I’ve lost… I have seen more than enough of death and destruction, so don’t treat me like I’m a fucking kid!”  
  
Jensen was looking at him with something like wonder in his eyes. “How can you still think the way you do, how can you still have so much hope, if you've seen what the world is really like?”  
  
Jensen’s eyes were searching his face, almost like he was trying to see inside of him. He wasn’t mocking Jared, he was honestly curious. Jared tried to find a way to answer his question, but he wasn't sure how to phrase it.  
  
“I still have things left to fight for, people I care about. My sister, she’s back home and I’m the only family she hast left.” Jared swallowed and tried to keep his voice under control. “I just… I grew up with stories about dragons and their Riders, about our great country, how we’re the only ones with a democracy and I’m just not ready to give up on it. The Republic worked for four hundred years; we can’t let one single man destroy it.”  
  
Jensen’s eyes had turned soft during Jared’s explanation but now they were cold again.  
  
“It’s not only one man, Jared, it’s a corrupted system. Pellegrino, he just took advantage of its corroded state to break it.”  
  
“Yeah, well, then we put it back together as soon as he’s gone.”  
  
Jensen emptied his beer and leaned back in his chair. “It will take years.”  
  
Jared grinned. “Well, as you so kindly pointed out I’m still young. I have the time.”  
  
Jensen rolled his eyes and stood up. “Oh, this will be fun. We leave tomorrow at sunrise.” Then he turned around and walked away.  
  
Jared sat slightly stunned in his chair.  
  
“Who made him the leader?” he mumbled in Haylee’s direction, only to realize that their link was too weak to talk through. Haylee was too far away, somewhere off in the mountains. Huh. He’d had the feeling for a while now there was something growing between her and Tonayr. While he was happy for her, he wasn’t sure what that meant for him and Jensen. Riders of mated dragons had to live in a very close relationship and very few of them were platonic. But Riders of mated dragons didn’t automatically get along and a screwed up relationship while the dragons wanted to stay together could lead to disastrous conditions.  
  
Jared sighed. There was nothing he could do about it now.  
  


 

  



	7. Second Arc: Part Three

 

  
  
  
  
  
  
  

 

 

  
  
Felicia and Codey were elated to see them again. The dragon almost barreled Haylee over despite his smaller size in an attempt to cuddle up next to her, and Felicia hugged Jared so tight he could tell she’d been building up muscle mass.  
  
Harris seemed happy to see Jensen and Kane again, but she made it clear very quickly that she had no interest in abandoning her position and going back to Nereya. She was even more bitter than Jensen, and Jared quickly learnt why.  
  
“Don’t even bother,” Harris told him before he could ask her a second time to come with them. “Felicia told me what’s going on back home. I had the whole fight about me being a woman and not fit to be a Rider once, I don’t need to have it again.”  
  
“C’mon, Dani, I know you wanna see Pellegrino's head on a stake,” Kane said.  
  
Harris grinned harshly. “I have very good imagination, thank you very much. When we left Nereya, I swore never to go back. I won't break that vow now.”  
  
Jensen fixed her with a hard stare. “There was another oath you swore first.” He didn’t give her a chance to reply; he was still sitting on his dragon’s back and Tonayr was already spreading his wings and taking off.  
  
Harris didn’t say anything, just stared after him, her face unreadable as the other dragons rose to follow Tonayr. Jared stared down at her as long as he could. Harris and Shayleen would have been very good to have on their side, but he didn’t know how he could’ve convinced them. As it turned out, he didn’t need to.  
  
One hour after they had made camp that night, Shayleen and Harris appeared in the sky.  
  
“Alright, you bastard,” Harris said when she’d landed, “I swore to always stand by you, so here I am.”  
  
Jensen looked at her, face just as unreadable as hers. “That’s not the one I meant,” he said, alluding to the oath to protect Nereya and its people that all Riders swore at their bonding ceremony.  
  
“Yeah, well, for now it’s all you're going to get.”  
  
Suddenly Jensen grinned, and he looked ten years younger. “Stubborn woman,” he said.  
  
Tonayr shifted his body and Shayleen laid down in the circle of dragons, butting her head against Tonayr’s tail and curling her lower body up behind Kahleya in a way that spoke of years of familiarity. Yes, the dragons were definitely happy to be together again.  
  
  
That first night around the campfire, Kane made Jared go through everything that had happened in Nereya since they left, step by step. He asked about all the new laws, the new influential politicians, new promotions within the Wings. When he didn’t know a person he wanted a detailed account of their life. Often Jared had to pass, because he hadn’t been paying that much attention to everyone. Felicia could jump in a few times to help, but they weren’t able to give Kane all the information he wanted.  
  
At the end, Kane leaned pensively back against his dragon’s belly.  
  
“Alright,” he said in his slow drawl, “I think we can work with that. Won’t be easy, we’ll have to talk to a few people before we reveal our presence, but it’s not hopeless.”  
  
“That’s very good to hear, Lieutenant Kane,” Felicia beamed.  
  
Kane chuckled. “Kid, I’m so not a Lieutenant anymore. And you can call me Chris. Since we’re all now a covert band of revolutionaries.”  
  
Felicia blushed slightly. She might have a crush on Harris, but Kane could be very charming. Jared had to admit, with his crinkling blue eyes and his slow easy accent, he was very attractive. Nothing like Jensen of course…  
  
“Fuck,” he muttered under his breath. He really needed to stop thinking of Jensen like that.  
  
He was pulled out of his dark thoughts when Harris laughed. “Chris, stop messing with the poor girl. But he’s right, we’re all in the same boat now. So call me Dani.”  
  
If possible, Felicia blushed even harder.  
  
Jensen was quiet through it all, seemingly disinterestedly smoking his pipe, but Haylee let Jared know that he was listening to every word. Apparently Tonayr tried very hard to be on Haylee’s good side, even though she still ignored him most of the time.  
  
 _You really grew up, didn’t you?_ Jared mused.  
  
 _What do you mean? I haven’t grown in almost a year._  
  
 _That’s not what I meant. You’re more confident. You met all these amazing dragons and despite your flailing over Shayleen, when you met Tonayr…_  
  
He trailed off when Haylee laughed. Jensen’s eyes snapped over to them, but he couldn’t know what they were talking about.  
  
 _Neither were you when you met Jensen,_ Haylee pointed out. _Well, that first night… Really I’m still a bit ashamed at how easy my Rider is._  
  
“Hey!” Jared exclaimed indignantly out loud and hit her leg. “Are you calling me a slut?”  
  
This time Jensen looked again and he actually seemed angry. Jared forced himself to look away again, but not before he caught Tonayr’s snout opening in a dragon’s smile.  
  
 _Well…_ Haylee said, voice heavy with meaning. _But the next morning, when he let you down your opinion changed quite quickly._  
  
 _Yeah, well._  
  
 _Even though you let him-_  
  
“Okay, okay, I got it!” Jared glared at Haylee and got up. Getting a moral sermon by his dragon was so not his idea of a good time. Under the confused looks of the others he stomped off into the night.  
  
A bright carpet of stars was covering the dark sky and the moon’s crescent gave enough light so he wouldn’t stumble over the rocky ground. He sat down on a big boulder a few yards away from the group.  
  
The night was quiet around him, only the cicadas were chirping. He needed it, this moment of stillness to get his thoughts out of the spiral they’d rushed around in ever since he met Jensen.  
  
He was nothing like the man he’d imagined and yet thinking about it, it made perfect sense how he’d become so bitter. It was a harsh wake-up call from his boyish daydreams and Jared thought bitterly back to every time someone had told him Jensen was only human.  
  
He’d thought if he would imagine Jensen anything less than a hero he’d become an unattainable possibility instead of a vague daydream. The reality was so much more.  
  
He was a disappointment, a real let-down, but Jared still couldn’t ban the thoughts of Jensen and him together. It didn’t help that he had a rather spectacular night to remember him by.  
  
He sighed. His dragon was right: when it came to Jensen, he _was_ easy.  
  
In the distance he heard wings flapping and when he looked up, Tonayr's big shape was flying up into the sky, his Rider on his back. He wondered what they talked about.  
  
It was still surreal to him that Tonayr, one of the mightiest dragons in their history was courting Haylee. Not because Haylee didn’t deserve the best - because she did - and not because Haylee wasn’t the most amazing dragon ever - because she was - but like this it seemed they were becoming part of a legend themselves.  
  
Chad would laugh at this and call him silly. Jared had to smile at the thought but then he was hit by a wave of intense longing for his friends and his home.  
  
Yes, Chad would laugh, Gen would snort and call him a hopeless romantic and Aldis would look pensive, before asking him what he was thinking when he set out to find a living legend to bring them back to fight.  
  
He heard the whooshing of a dragon flying low, then a gush of wind hit him and there was a small thud.  
  
He opened his eyes and Jensen was standing a few feets across from him.  
  
“Oh,” he said slowly. “I didn’t see you there.” He looked angrily in the direction Tonayr had flown off to and Jared couldn’t help but chuckle.  
  
“Is Tonayr trying to play matchmaker?”  
  
Jensen snorted. “Your little dragon completely made him lose his head.”  
  
“Hey!” Jared exclaimed. “Haylee is wonderful and amazing and deserving. Of course Tonayr would want her!”  
  
Jensen looked startled, then he rubbed a hand over his face.  
  
“Somehow everything I say with you is wrong.” When Jared angrily opened his mouth to reply Jensen held up a hand. “I’m not saying Haylee isn’t great, because she is. Maybe even extraordinary. But you have to understand that we’ve met a lot of great dragons and in all the years we were bonded, he never once expressed interest in even finding a mate.”  
  
“Yes, well Haylee is special,” Jared snapped, still miffed.  
  
“You’re this protective of everyone you love, aren’t you?” Jensen asked, completely unimpressed by Jared’s outburst.  
  
“Of course.”  
  
Jensen smiled. “That’s not a given, Jared. It’s a rare thing.”  
  
Jared shook his head. “Not with the people I know.”  
  
“Then you’ve been very lucky.”  
  
Jared pondered this for a bit. Then he said, “So were you.”  
  
Jensen looked in the direction of their camp. Chris had gotten out his lute and was playing a soft song and over the distance; Jared could hear a female voice join him in the chorus.  
  
“Yes, I guess so,” Jensen admitted.  
  
“How can that not be enough?”  
  
Jensen sat down on a boulder across from Jared and didn’t say anything. Jared sighed and decided to switch tactics.  
  
“So. Pellegrino is initiating a war to keep himself in power. Why is he letting it go so far, though? I really don’t get it, he must know that he’s playing a dangerous game.”  
  
Jensen was visibly relieved at the change in conversation and nodded. “Well, Mark always wanted to become a famed warrior. Looks like he’s really going for it now.”  
  
Jared was still mad at Jensen, but maybe some polite conversation about the downfall of their country was exactly what they needed. Besides, he was curious.  
  
“So, you guys have a history?”  
  
Jensen looked startled. “What gives you that idea?”  
  
Jared needed a moment to figure out what Jensen meant. “No, not like that,” he said, “but he seems to… not like you very much?”  
  
Jensen grinned crookedly. “That might be a slight understatement. Mark always hated my guts. We climbed the mountain together and I remember he really enjoyed picking on the younger kids. When I wouldn’t climb down when it was getting dark, he laughed at me and said some ugly things. You should have seen his face when I came down with Tonayr.”  
  
Jensen looked wistfully out into the billowing grass of the plains, his face going soft for a moment. It was a good look on him.  
  
“Somehow he made it a competition after that, and he just hated me more every time I was better than him. And I was promoted to the Black Wing instead of him… Well you know the rest.”  
  
Jared nodded. “But then I get it even less. How can you not want revenge on him?”  
  
“Because revenge is never the answer,” Jensen said, leaning back. “Is this why you’re doing this? Taking revenge for something?”  
  
“What? No!” Jared vigorously tried to push the images away that were creeping up on him. He could smell the air thick with smoke, that underlying note of charred-  
  
“This is not about revenge, this is about righting what’s wrong. It’s about ending the war and getting things back on track. And yeah, Pellegrino has to be punished. I mean he deserves to be ripped apart and eaten by pigs, and so do the rest of them. I swear, if I ever get Huffman in front of my sword, I…”  
  
He trailed off when he saw Jensen’s piercing stare and tried to get himself under control.  
  
“Ah,” Jensen said softly. “And there we have the real reason.”  
  
“You know nothing about me!” Jared bit out, getting up from his rock and walking away.

 

 

 

  
  
Jensen stared after Jared’s angry form for a moment, then he followed him back i the direction of the camp. He’d been pretty sure that Jared had lost his family one way or another in the war, but now he had confirmation.  
  
He felt for Jared - losing one’s family was a terrible thin -but he resisted the urge to draw Jared into his arms to comfort him. Instead he forced himself to focus on the practical problems. People driven by revenge didn’t think clearly and when push came to shove, their emotions tended to overrule rational thought, posing a serious danger to any military operation.  
  
In one of the first places he and Tonayr had went and stayed for a few months, they had supported a city in the fight against an oppressive autocrat. There, in the forests east of Deorn, he’d seen up close what happened when revenge won out over rational planning. A whole army had been defeated and the city pillaged and plundered, because one man had been so blinded by his grief and hatred that he’d led his forces into a certain trap. Jensen and Tonyar had done their best, but the army was surrounded in a deep gorge in the dense part of the forest, and there had been nothing they could do.  
  
After the fight, they had flown down and Jensen had searched the masses of dead men for Varian. He’d been a proud man, but a good leader to his people. But the lord in the north had taken Varian’s wife and killed his children, and the prudent man and careful strategist had turned into a grieving madman. He’d been unable to see anything else than the destruction of his enemy at whatever cost, blinded to any possible failure, only envisioning one outcome of his plan.  
  
If Jared couldn’t overcome his own grief, he would head down the same path.  
  
“Jared!” he called after him, but Jared payed him no heed. “Jared! _Rider_!”  
  
Jared flinched at his commanding tone and spun around. His eyes were glinting murderously and his big hands were balled to fists. So beautiful and so broken.  
  
“You have no right to call me that,” Jared hissed. “Not after you abandoned your responsibilities and we had to drag you out of these mountains.”  
  
The words hit deep, but Jensen ignored them. He needed to focus on matter at hand.  
  
“Jared, I know that it must be hard for you, but-”  
  
“No!” Jared bit him off angrily, and now his eyes started to shine with tears. “You know nothing! And you know why? Because you weren’t there! You left us! _You_ left us to Pellegrino and his friends. _You_ left us to stumble into a war we can’t win anymore, you just _left_! So you don’t know anything!”  
  
Jensen tried to swallow the hurt and the anger, but he was afraid he wasn’t all that successful.  
  
“Jared, at least admit it, the only thing you’re after is revenge!”  
  
“Fuck you,” Jared bit out, eyes blazing. “Yes, I want revenge, but I wanted to change things before- Because I still believe in our ideals. I still believe that the Republic can be saved.”  
  
Jensen scoffed. “Kid, you’re a dreamer.”  
  
“Better than being a coward.”  
  
“Watch your mouth. I’m not a coward.”  
  
“Could’ve fooled me, the way you were hiding out in the mountains!”  
  
They glared at each other until Jared huffed and swirled around, walking away angrily.  
  
Behind Jensen, Tonayr chuckled. _I like that kid._  
  
“Thank you,” Jensen said, voice dripping with sarcasm. “I was somehow under the impression you were supposed to be on my side.”  
  
 _I am,_ Tonayr answered. _I’ll always be on your side. But right now, your side is in a shitty, depressing place, and I’d like for that to change._  
  
For a moment Jensen glared, then he chuckled ruefully. Tonayr was right. Jared wasn’t, though.  
  
“I’m not a coward,” Jensen said.  
  
Tonayr showed his sharp teeth in the dragon version of a smile. _Look who cares what the kid thinks of him._  
  
“I do not,” Jensen started to protest, but stopped under Tonayr’s knowing stare. He might be able to deny some things to himself, but Tonayr would always know the truth.  
  
“Shit.”  
  
Tonayr walked over to him and gently butted his snout against Jensen’s shoulder. _He’ll be good for you, you’ll see. And I can finally start courting Haylee._  
  
“What stopped you before?” Jensen asked.  
  
 _Her glowering stare every time I tried. Being your dragon somehow made me the enemy. So now that you’re going to patch things up with Jared, she’ll hopefully change her mind._  
  
Jensen shook his head. “We’re way too old for this drama.”  
  
Tonayr scoffed. _Speak for yourself, human. I have never felt better._ With that, Tonayr took off, crossing the short distance to where Haylee was dozing.  
  
Jensen’s eyes wandered to where Jared had curled up in his bedroll. Sometimes Jared was so strong and so fierce, and other times he was still a vulnerable kid. The emotions it evoked in Jensen caused him whiplash from the change of burning arousal to tender protectiveness. It was seriously messing with his head, and he decided to get some sleep to escape those confusing feelings. If he really wanted to take on Pellegrino, he couldn’t risk being distracted like that.  


 

 

 

  
  
  
Felicia seemed to have lost most of her shyness in her time with Dani, and now that she had two other Riders she could talk to, she didn't stop asking questions. Jensen never gave more than monosyllabic answers, but Chris told her everything she wanted to know. Together with Dani, he took on the training Jared had tried to start on their journey, but Jared had lacked the experience the older Riders had.  
  
Now that there were five of them, they could even start the formation training, but something was always off with Felicia and Codex. They always missed a turn by half a wingspan, flew the maneuver a beat too late, and no matter what Chris and Dani said or proposed, it didn’t help. Felicia’s frustration grew and by the time they reached the Stony Mountains, she was despairing.  
  
“We’ll never get this right. Maybe this is what the ceremony does. It bonds you together so you don’t screw up when you fly.”  
  
Jared and Chris tried to reassure her, tell her she’d get it right, when Jensen snorted and got up.  
  
“Amateurs,” he said and walked over to Tonayr. “What are you waiting for, Day? Get your ass in the saddle.”  
  
Felicia obeyed without hesitation and Jared drew in a breath. He’d never heard Jensen talk like that, with the voice and the inflection of a commander, but of course he could - he’d been Captain of the Black Wing. Jared tried to ignore how incredibly hot it was.  
  
“I need you guys to do a rising cross attack so we can practice some weaving,” Jensen called over his shoulder and then Tonayr was off. “Keep up, Day!” he shouted at Felicia as Codey scrambled to get up in the air.  
  
Jared looked to Chris and Dani for help, but they just exchanged a pleased look.  
  
“About time he’s stepping up,” Chris mumbled and climbed on Kahleya’s back.  
  
“Did you guys…?” Jared asked.  
  
Dani smiled. “He’s one stubborn son of a bitch, but he’s still the same guy we used to ride with back in the day. We just slowly have to tickle it out of him, if you will.”  
  
Jared climbed on Haylee’s back. His dragon was humming with approval.  
  
 _Finally_ , she said, _I always wanted to see what all the fuss was about him._  
  
  
Up in the air, Tonayr and Codey were flying side by side at fighting speed. Shayleen and Kahleya started flying below them and shooting up right past them, forcing them to fly evasive maneuvers as if they were avoiding projectiles fired from the ground. Haylee followed their example.  
  
Jensen and Tonayr were obviously trying to teach Codey how to react in time, but several collisions were only avoided because the other dragons let themselves drop quickly enough or flew around them.  
  
Jared really would like to know what Jensen was trying to teach her, and Haylee was equally curious. Somehow, she got Tonayr to show her what he was seeing and hearing - well, it probably wasn’t that hard; the black dragon was trying very hard to impress Haylee - and she opened her link wide to Jared, letting him listen in.  
  
“Oh for fuck’s sake.” Jensen seemed to have lost his patience and took a long roll of rope from Tonayr’s harness, fastened it on to his walker’s belt and swung the other end with the carabiner around over his head, gathering monentum. He let it fly over to Codey’s side, the carabiner snapping in place in the dragon’s harness. Then Jensen stood up on Tonayr’s back, took a running start and jumped the distance between the two dragons.  
  
He landed against Codey’s side, hands and feet immediately working to find hold on the ropes, but Codey was so startled that he jumped midair and Jensen, who was just moving the carabiner hook further up lost his footing. He fell down Codey’s side and only just managed to grab onto the last strap of the harness running along under the dragon’s belly. Tonayr had reacted immediately, flying under Codey so that if Jensen fell, he’d land directly on his back.  
  
Codey seemed even more overwhelmed by Tonayr’s proximity and tried to rise up, wings flapping uncoordinatedly.  
  
Jared broke out in cold sweat, because Jensen was dangling there without any safety, just holding on with one hand. A quick glance to Dani and Chris told him that neither of them were worried, they seemed to be more amused.  
  
 _Relax_ , Haylee said, a smile in her voice. _Tonayr won’t let him fall._  
  
 _Still. How can this be funny to you?_  
  
 _What, the mighty Jensen Ackles dangling in the air like a fish on a hook? It’s pretty funny._  
  
 _Except he’s not really flopping around_ , Jared had to point out, because it was true. Jensen was very calm, and his face was more angry than anything else.  
  
“What the fuck are you doing?” he yelled up at Codey and Felicia, loud enough for his deep voice to carry over to Jared. “Keep still. Just glide.”  
  
After a second of hesitation, Codey spread out his wings, gliding through the air. He lost a bit of altitude, but Tonayr had already anticipated that, smoothly moving in tandem with him. When Codey had steadied his flight, Jensen angrily shook his head and started to walk the ropes, climbing the harness until he was sitting on Codey’s back behind Felicia.  
  
“You guys,” he said exasperatedly, “really need to work on your coordination. Codey was startled when I jumped over, because he didn’t know what I was going to do, because he doesn’t have eyes in the back of his head. But he has you. And you’re supposed to cover what he can’t. You should have let him know. You need to learn to open the link wide enough that you don’t need to tell him, the information just has to flow. Okay, Codey, close your eyes.”  
  
Felicia’s dragon startled and let out a squeak in surprise. Tonayr roared, a sound that Haylee translated as “Do it!” Tonayr was obviously every bit the commander his Rider was.  
  
Jared could see Codey blink a few times, then he reluctantly closed his eyes. He tried to take a peak, but Tonayr roared again and Codey squinted them shut.  
  
Jensen had sat down behind Felicia, and assuringly rested his hands on her shoulders. “Take a deep breath,” he said, voice suddenly smooth and hypnotic, “and let yourself fall into the link.”  
  
 _I almost forgot how hard it was in the beginning to get our coordination right,_ Haylee said and Jared agreed. It had taken them quite a while to figure out to move as one during a fight. An exercise like this would’ve been incredibly helpful.  
  
Tonayr continued to fly alongside Codey, watching him carefully. He almost missed the movement, only managing to avoid crashing into Codey by a hair’s breath when he suddenly veered to the side.  
  
“Woah!” Jensen shouted. “I said a bit!”  
  
“Sorry, sorry!” Felicia said and Dani laughed.  
  
“Oh, this is going to be good,” she said and turned around on Shayleen's back, resting her head and shoulders against her dragon’s neck and stretching out on her broad back. Chris had starting humming a soft tune, and when Codey moved the next time, it was much more controlled.  
  
  
They stayed up in the sky for hours. Codey kept his eyes closed the whole time. Jensen stayed with Felicia for a long time before he went back to Tonayr’s back, telling her she could do it without him. For a moment, Codey floundered but then both Rider and dragon regained their equilibrium and continued to fly maneuvers with rising levels of difficulty.  
  
There was a slight hitch when Jensen wanted them to land like this, and Codey opened his eyes at the last moment because Felica panicked, but Jensen just shook his head smiling.  
  
“Well, the Capital wasn’t built in a day,” he said, “and I think you’ll be fine.”  
  
Felicia and Codey beamed.  
  
Haylee nudged Jared with her snout.  
  
 _This is the man you’ve been looking for,_ she said.  
  
When Jensen looked over to him, for the first time in days, Jared didn't look away. Jensen's eyes widened in surprise, then he nodded at Jared. Jared inclined his head. He wasn’t sure what this meant, but it meant something.  
  
  
Their last night on the Plains, Chris and Dani left them behind in their little camp to walk the short distance to a small village. They wanted to gather some more supplies for the flight along the Stony Mountains. They had brought a lot of food with them from the city where Dani had been serving, but the dragons needed large portions of food, and Jensen was adamant about not taking livestock from the herders without paying. Since they didn't want to be sighted, Dani and Chris had to do it on foot. They weren’t quite sure how long Pellegrino’s arm would reach, but they couldn’t risk him being informed, and five Riders flying back to Nereya could hardly be explained without people catching on to what was going on.  
  
Jared was polishing his weapons, which were in flawless condition because he polished them every night. But he couldn’t let his hands idle. Even though Tonayr was not amused, Jensen usually kept his distance. He still tried to court Haylee and while Jared felt that his dragon wanted to give in and tried to tell her to go with it, Haylee remained stubborn. Either they would both have what they wanted or neither would.  
  
When Jared had tried to tell her that he didn’t want Jensen, she’d just rolled her eyes.  
  
 _Why do you humans always have to say one thing, when it’s so obvious you want the opposite._  
  
Jared had ignored her after that, but he couldn’t deny what seeing Jensen teach Felicia had meant to him. She’d been right, that had been the man he was looking for.  
  
He was so immersed in his thoughts, he was startled when Jensen sat down next to him.  
  
“You really need to work on your awareness,” Jensen said, but it wasn’t mean. “As soon as we get back, you won’t be able to let your guard down for even a second.”  
  
“I know,” Jared said, fiddling with the dagger in his hands. He didn’t like that Jensen saw his weaknesses. “But that’s me. Scatterbrain and clumsiest Rider in the Wings.”  
  
From behind him Haylee let out a disgruntled snort, and the tip of her tail flicked against the back of his head.  
  
Jensen laughed, but his eyes were incredulous. “You’re not really a scatterbrain. And I have yet to see you being clumsy.”  
  
Jared shrugged his shoulders. “It’s gotten better. But you should have seen me when I started out…”  
  
 _You grew into your body, just like I did_ , Haylee said firmly behind him.  
  
Jensen’s eyes were searching his face. “Jared, people change. They grow up, they train. Don’t see yourself like you were three years ago. You’ve changed.”  
  
Jared looked at Jensen in surprise. “I thought you didn’t remember me.”  
  
Jensen smiled slightly. “I don’t, not really. I remember a small bronze dragon with huge wings and the gangly kid supposed to be her Rider. If not for Haylee, I wouldn’t have remembered you. But now… You’ve grown up Jared, and I don’t think anyone who meets you now would be able to forget you again.”  
  
“Yeah, well, I am quite tall.”  
  
“It’s not about that.”  
  
Jensen’s voice was deep and sure, and it did things to Jared’s body he didn’t want to feel now. When he looked up, he saw big green eyes only inches from his face and then Jensen’s hand gripped the back of his head and he drew him in for a kiss.  
  
Jared was too startled to protest and then he got lost in the feeling of Jensen’s mouth against his lips. Abruptly, it stopped.  
  
“I’m so sorry,” Jensen said woodenly. “That shouldn’t have happened.”  
  
Then he stood up and walked away. Tonayr growled after him, but Jensen didn’t stop.  
  
Jared touched his lips and hated that they tingled.  
  
 _Asshole_ , Haylee grumbled and walked over to him, turning her back on Tonayr.  
  
 _You can’t punish Tonayr, because Jensen is being an ass_ , Jared told her, voice flat.  
  
 _No. But he’s the only one who can talk some sense into him._  
  
 _What sense? He doesn’t want me._  
  
Haylee rolled her eyes and curled herself around Jared, cocooning him under the cover of her wings.  
  
 _Humans. Always making things so complicated._

 

 

 

  
Jensen watched Jared over the fire. The flames were throwing flickering shadows over his tired features. His slanted eyes were half closed and there were deep circles under them. His shoulders were slumped and he was leaning heavily against Haylee’s leg, the bowl with rabbit stew only half eaten in his lap. He was dragging a hand through his hair, way too long for a Rider, always falling into his face, but it suited him. Truly beautiful and truly broken.  
  
Chris and Dani took Felicia to a more even part of the terrain to practice putting the harness on her dragon in the dark. She needed to be able to do that in the coming fight.  
  
 _What are you waiting for?_ Tonayr growled at him.  
  
His dragon hadn’t been this displeased with him in a long time, but after Haylee had started thawing towards his attention, and then closing up again after the last time Jensen had screwed up, Tonayr had been nagging at him constantly. The problem was that his dragon was right. Somehow, without even trying, Jared had wormed his way into Jensen’s mind, and he couldn’t get him out of there anymore.  
  
 _I don’t know what to say_ , he said, stalling.  
  
Tonayr snorted. _He feels like crap. Comfort him._  
  
“Easier said than done,” Jensen grumbled under his breath, but there was no sympathy from Tonayr.  
  
So Jensen got up and walked over to Jared. He picked up a piece of bread along the way and held it out to Jared.  
  
“You need to eat.”  
  
“Not hungry.”  
  
“Jared, don’t be stupid, you’ll need your strength.”  
  
Reluctantly, Jared took the bread and finished his stew.  
  
“You wanna talk about it?” Jensen asked when he couldn’t take the silence anymore.  
  
“Talk about what?” Jared sounded half annoyed and half confused.  
  
“Your parents.”  
  
Jared stiffened. Jensen knew it wasn’t the smoothest way to approach things, but there was really no way to talk about it without hurting like hell.  
  
“Not really,” Jared said after a short while.  
  
Jensen nodded and stared into the flames. “Mine died a long time ago,” he said. He never talked about it, it was a thing buried in the past, but sometimes you needed to give something before you could receive.  
  
“My mom was older when she had me. They’d been trying for so long, she used to call me her gift brought by the winds. Dad told her not to say something like that out loud, or the winds would decide to take me back again. I guess in a way they did, but she didn’t live to see the day. It was the fever that took her away and my father, he wasn’t the same without her. His grief and pain at her death never lessened. I don’t think he really even noticed when I left the house.”  
  
“So that’s why you climbed the mountain when you were so young. The stories always told us that you knew already.”  
  
Jensen shrugged his shoulders. “I’m not sure. I just knew I needed to get out of the house. Everytime he looked at me I could hear his heart break. I don’t remember her clearly but everyone always said I look exactly like her. And that spring… I knew that there was something out there. There just had to be more than constant sadness.”  
  
Jared didn’t say anything for a long time and Jensen waited.  
  
“I still dream of them,” Jared said finally. “I can still smell the smoke and hear the wood cracking and breaking. I don’t know how I would stay sane without Haylee.”  
  
Horror dawned on Jensen. “Were you there when it happened?”  
  
“No. I was too late.”  
  
Haylee nudged Jared with her wing and he nodded. “Yeah, I found Megan. She’s with Sergeant Ferris and her Wing now.”  
  
“She’s a good woman and a good commander,” Jensen said. “Your sister will be fine with her.”  
  
“She lost her home, her parents, the boy she loved, her whole village. How fine could she be?”  
  
“She still has you.”  
  
For a moment Jared was quiet. “And this is why I have to fight.”  
  
“I understand,” Jensen said.  
  
Jared’s head whipped around, and his eyes, dark in the fire’s flickering light, fixed on Jensen’s face.  
  
“Why are you talking to me? Why are you suddenly trying to be my friend?”  
  
“I…” Jensen started helplessly, but he didn’t know how to answer the question. In the end he decided to go with honesty. “I don’t want to see you in pain.”  
  
Jared scoffed.  
  
“Look, Jared, you took me by surprise when you came to me. I was angry so I lashed out and I’m sorry.”  
  
Jared continued to glare at him. “No. You can’t do this, just change your mind whenever you feel like it.”  
  
“I know,” Jensen said quietly, an icy coldness spreading through his body and he stood up.  
  
“That - that’s it’?” Jared sputtered after him. “You’re walking away?”  
  
“What do you want me to do?” Jensen asked confused. Hadn’t Jared just told him he didn’t want him?  
  
“I want you to fucking fight for what you want. Do you always give up that easily? I mean, wow, things really must've fallen into your lap your whole life if you run away like this every time someone tells you no.”  
  
“Don’t you dare. I fought tooth and nail to get where I was. Do you have any idea how hard it was, being the youngest and the shortest in training? How often they told me I didn’t deserve my dragon? I worked hard to get where I was, nothing ever just fell into my lap.”  
  
“But when they threw you out, you just left. No fight, nothing. And when I tell you, you screwed up, instead of apologizing you leave. What the fuck am I supposed to think then?”  
  
Jensen clenched his hands to keep them under control. “I left Nereya because I wanted to avoid bloodshed. And yes, I was hurt, but I fucking deserved to be. And you… I told you from the beginning what this was, I never once led you on. You’re the one making this… this _thing_ out of it.”  
  
Over his link he could feel Tonayr’s fury and he hated himself for what he was saying, because it was all a lie, but he couldn’t take Jared thinking he was weak, accusing him of being a coward.  
  
“You bastard,” Jared bit out and then he stepped into his space, pressing against him and crashed their mouths together.  
  
Jensen’s body reacted instantly, pressing back against Jared’s while his mind was still reeling. His fingers gripped Jared’s hips, drew him in tighter and Jared moaned, pushing his tongue into Jensen’s mouth.  
  
Jensen needed to take a step back to steady himself, his foot caught on a stone and when Jared pressed against him again, they fell down to the ground. He landed hard on the stony ground, Jared landing on him and pushing the air out of Jensen’s lungs.  
  
“You fucking bastard,” Jared ground out and bit at Jensen’s lips.  
  
Jensen let him take whatever he wanted, tried to reign in his own desire, his own need to bury himself in Jared’s body. Instead, he let Jared straddle him, let him tug at the strings of his tunic and his pants, let him bite and suck on his neck, only holding onto his hips to ground himself.  
  
His arousal suddenly intensified and it took him a confused second to realize that it were Tonayr’s emotions pushing in over their bond, too intense to be kept out. Their dragons had flown off to a secluded place into the mountains without him even noticing, and Haylee finally let Tonayr come close, let him in, let him mate her.  
  
Jensen tried to focus on his own pleasure, on Jared in his arms, but before he could even get his hands under Jared’s shirt to finally feel his warm skin, Jared jerked back, looking down at Jensen with wide eyes.  
  
Jensen sat up, following the heat of Jared’s body.  
  
“What is it?” he asked.  
  
“The others will be back soon,” Jared said and Jensen wanted to hit himself in the head. This, right here, forgetting where he was and what was going on around him, was exactly why Jared was so distracting.  
  
Pure sexual energy was still thrumming over his link with Tonayr, and for a brief second he wondered if this was what it had felt to Tonayr whenever Jensen had hooked up with someone or just with Jared. He pushed himself up from the ground, pulling Jared up with him and then out of the fire’s circle.  
  
There was a an array of shrubs and trees not far off and that was where he led Jared. By the time they reached the vegetation, Jensen’s body was singing with want and he couldn’t think straight anymore. Jared was hot and alive under his hands and he ripped clothes off carelessly, not caring to get them properly off, just out of the way to kiss his way down Jared’s neck and get his hands on his ass.  
  
Jared panted into his ear, his own hands gripping Jensen tight. They’d have to do this on nothing but spit, but Jensen couldn’t really care, and if the way Jared pushed back against his hand was anything to go by, neither did he.  
  
It was rough and hard, over too quickly, but there was only a roaring fire of red pleasure in Jensen’s mind when he finally pushed into Jared and they scrambled to get even closer.  
  
Jared moaned, but it was definitely one of pleasure, and when their dragons found their release, Jared and Jensen fell over the edge together.  
  
They lay panting on the moss covered ground, clothes sticky with more than sweat. There was a stream close by they could wash up in, but the water would be icy.  
  
“We should go clean up,” Jensen still said.  
  
Jared disentangled himself and got up. He walked towards the stream in silence and Jensen followed, confused. He could feel Tonayr’s deep satisfaction, curled up with Haylee, already dozing with her heartbeat under his wings and Jensen didn’t know what was up with Jared.  
  
They washed themselves quietly, shivering in the cold mountain water and hurriedly getting dressed again, hoping the fire would dry them before they went to sleep.  
  
“What does this mean?” Jared finally asked.  
  
“What does what mean?”  
  
Jared huffed. “What does this mean for us. Our dragons mated…”  
  
“And so did we,” Jensen said, but Jared didn’t look satisfied.  
  
“Exactly. Our dragons mated. Is that the only reason we did?”  
  
Jensen shook his head. “No. This is more.”  
  
For a long time Jared just looked at him. “I don’t know,” he said after a while. “I still don’t know who you really are. You’re not the hero I thought you’d be. But sometimes you’re the man I wished you’d be.”  
  
It was like the last few years were suddenly dropped on Jensen’s shoulders and he didn’t know how he could carry their weight.  
  
“I used to be the man you think I am. And you make me want to become him again.”  
  
Jared tilted his head. “We’ll see,” he said noncommittally.  
  
  
If the others picked up on the tension when they came back, they didn’t say anything. Tonayr and Haylee stayed up in the mountains, and Jensen was just about to curl up in his bedroll. Dani and Felicia had long gone to sleep and Jared was restless under his blanket.  
  
Chris was sitting under Kahleya’s wing, smoking a pipe. “Get your ass over here, man,” he said with a sigh and Jensen gladly accepted the invitation.  
  
Leaning against Kahleya’s leg was familiar and yet completely alien, but he was grateful for the company.  
  
“So,” Chris said, word heavy with meaning. “What exactly is up with you and Jared?”  
  
“I don’t know.”  
  
“Hmm.” Chris blew out several smoke rings. “Is this a good idea?”  
  
“Why don’t you mind your own business? It’s not like I ever comment on what you and Dani occasionally get up too.”  
  
Chris raised an eyebrow. “Really? Dani and me, that’s nothing more than stress relief and you know it. But what you and Jared are doing reeks of emotional mess. We have a war to fight, Jensen, and if you guys start fighting, it’s not gonna help anyone.”  
  
“Don’t you think I know that?” Jensen asked angrily. “It’s not like I want this, but Tonayr…”  
  
Chris snorted. “Don’t blame this on him, man. I know you. And I can guarantee you that you wanted to bone Jared’s ass the moment you saw him.”  
  
“It was never supposed to be more,” Jensen said, looking into the dying embers in their fire pit.  
  
“It’s a good thing, man. The kid is good for you. You just - I don’t know, have to keep it together.”  
  
“Any suggestions?”  
  
Chris put the pipe out and carefully stowed it away in a little pouch. “It’s easy, really. I remember a guy, a good guy, he would’ve been perfect for Jared. He knew when to let loose and have fun, but he was driven, you know? He knew what had to be done and how to do it. He was a rock, always a shoulder to lean on. Fought tooth and nail for his country and the people. He had a way about him that drew people in. He could guide them. He was a leader, but when need be, he could also follow his friends. He would be exactly what Jared needs.”  
  
Jensen gave a wry grin. “Any idea how to find him?”  
  
“No. But I know someone who does.” Chris looked over to where Jared had curled his impossibly long body into a ball in his bedroll.  
  
“I wonder what it is about him,” Jensen mused.  
  
Chris laughed. “You haven’t figured it out yet? He’s you, plus a healthy dose of enthusiasm and minus the bitterness.”  
  
Jensen watched Jared’s hands clench into the blanket, watched his eyes squint closer together.  
  
“No,” he said, shaking his head. “I was never like him. He burns brighter.”  
  
Chris gave him a questioning look, but Jensen shrugged him off. “I don't know how to explain it, man. Jared is just… more.”  
  
Slowly, Chris nodded. “Yeah, you’re right. Let’s just hope it’s enough.”  
  
Jensen went to sleep feeling wired. Tonayr’s satisfaction was mixed with too much lust and excitement to provide a relief from his own feelings. The urge to go over to Jared was almost a physical pull, but Jared had made it very clear that he didn’t want him, not yet at least.  
  
Jensen lay down in his bedding and wondered if he’d ever be able to really go back, become the man he used to be. He wanted to try, and he realized it wasn’t only because of Jared. Having a purpose again, something that pulled him up in the morning, the planning and strategising, even teaching Felicia and Codey - he’d missed this part of himself, but he’d buried it so deep he hadn’t recognized the longing for his old life for what it was. Jared had just dragged it all out and now Jensen needed to find his way back.  
  
He closed his eyes and let himself fall into the link. Tonayr had finally fallen asleep and in the satisfied quiet of his mind, Jensen found enough stillness to fall into unconsciousness.  
  


 

 

 


	8. Second Arc: Part Four

  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  


 

  
  
Haylee was rather annoyed by Jared’s sulking the next morning.  
  
 _If sex doesn’t make you happy, you’re doing it wrong,_ she said and Jared almost choked on his breakfast.  
  
“Haylee!” he hissed, before he caught the other’s curious looks and switched to silent conversation. _It’s not that we did it wrong. I just… I didn’t want to, but then you guys, and I couldn’t stop it-_  
  
 _Yeah, cause you’re easy._  
  
 _Oh, you try saying no to Jensen Ackles. Or, well, Tonayr._  
  
Haylee raised the ridges over her eyes. _I have. Again and again. Clearly I have better self-control than you._  
  
Jared wanted to bang his head against a stone. _This is not being on my side._  
  
 _It is. I’m just trying to pull your head of your ass. You’re not the only one feeling miserable. I know it wasn’t your idea to take her along, but you still are responsible._  
  
Jared followed Haylee’s thoughts over to where Felicia was slowly fastening the last straps to Codey’s harness. She was working meticulously, clearly trying to get it right, but there was a slump to her shoulders and her usual smile was replaced by a scowl.  
  
Jared sighed. _You’re right. I’m a bad friend._  
  
Haylee butted her head against his shoulder. _No you’re not. You’ve been through a lot. But she still needs someone to talk to._  
  
Jared nodded. Tonight, when they made camp, he’d have a chat with Felicia.  
  
  
  
Felicia was angrily fumbling with the buckles connecting the belly harness to the broad back strack. Codey was trying to stay calm, but he was still fidgeting a bit.  
  
“Damnit. You fucking piece of metal shit, you-”  
  
“Woah,easy,” Jared said and stepped next to her. “This part is always a bit difficult, because the buckle is holding the majority of the weight, so it’s under a lot of tension. You need to lift it up a bit - like this - and then you can open it.”  
  
Felicia stared dismally at the harness. “I tried. I just don’t have the strength to keep it up yet.”  
  
Jared nodded. “Yeah, you need to build up some more muscles.”  
  
"Easy for you to say,” she scowled.  
  
Jared laughed. “Yeah, now. Trust me, when I started out, I was nothing more than a stick in the landscape. I had constant charley horses for the first two months of training, I think. As did everybody else.”  
  
“I just… I don’t want to fail him,” she said and pressed her head against her dragon’s neck.  
  
Codey let out a comforting grumble and half hugged her with his wing.  
  
“You won’t,” Jared said with conviction. “You just need some time to learn. Don’t be too hard on yourself.”  
  
“Thanks,” Felicia mumbled under Codey’s wing.  
  
“Anytime.”  
  
They were quiet for a moment and Jared sat down on one of the many boulders littering the ground, waiting for Felicia to finish her chores. Dani had insisted that she take the harness off every evening, even though the dragons weren’t bothered spending a few nights in the harness when they needed to travel quickly. But Dani was right, Felicia needed the practice.  
  
“Speaking of Dani,” Jared said and Felicia turned around quickly from where she was folding the last straps of harness..  
  
“We weren’t talking about her.”  
  
“Hmm, no I guess not. But maybe we should?”  
  
Felicia stared intensely down at the broad leather strap in her hands. “There's nothing to talk about.”  
  
Jared snorted. “Yes, there is. If you don’t want to, that’s fine, but you can’t fool me.”  
  
“I thought I was hiding it pretty well.” Felicia’s voice had a petulant edge.  
  
“You are. But I know what it looks like to pine after someone who’s a living legend, so…” Jared trailed off, waiting to see if Felicia wanted to talk.  
  
With a huff, she sat down next to Jared. “Okay, so you’re right. Question is, what do I do about it? I mean, she’s this amazing Rider, and I’m just…” She waved her hands around in front of her. “How do I make her see that I’m more than a kid?”  
  
Jared thought about it for a while, before he answered. This wasn’t an easy thing to say.  
  
“I have a friend back home and I think he’s been crushing on another one of my friends for forever.” Jared didn’t think anyone had picked up on Aldis having a crush on Gen, least of all Gen herself. “If he’d made a move, back when we all met, she would have turned him down without a thought. He never stopped pining after her, but he’s biding his time. He knows she isn’t ready to settle down with anyone yet. I don’t think it’s the same with Danneel, but right now, you’re a young, inexperienced Rider and she has to lead a revolution in her own country.”  
  
“So you’re saying I should bide my time.”  
  
“I’m saying your chances will be better later.”  
  
“What if I'm too late? What if she and Chris…”  
  
“I don't think you have to worry about him, it’s not like that between them. And it’s always a gamble. But right now, she doesn’t see you as more than a kid.” Jared stopped when Felicia glared at him. “What? You kind of are. Give yourself some time to grow up. If I had hit on Jensen back when I first crushed on him, he’d probably laughed me off. I’m not saying that’s a good thing, or fair, it’s just the way it works. And he probably would’ve been right, because back then I was just a kid. It would never have worked. Give yourself some time, Felicia. Grow up first.”  
  
Felicia looked at him mockingly. “When did you become so wise?”  
  
“People keep asking me that. I think it’s just my natural smarts,” Jared said with a grin.  
  
Felicia snorted and punched him into the shoulder.  
  
“So I wait?” she asked after a short pause.  
  
Jared nodded. “Not like we’ll get a lot of chances to go out on dates in the near future.”  
  
“So, what are you gonna do?”  
  
Jared looked up into the sky. “No idea. I want to, but I don’t know if I want him for the right reasons.”  
  
“Life is short, Jared, don’t be such a baby. I know he crushed your ego for a bit there, but Jensen Ackles is a good man, a great man even. Don’t risk him because of your pride.”  
  
“It’s not about pride,” Jared called after her, but Felicia was already walking away, flipping him off.  
  
Jared went to bed that night with a very heavy feeling in his gut.  
  


 

  
They were a three day flight out of Nereya. Jared still avoided Jensen whenever he could, not that is was easy in a group as small as theirs. It didn’t help that Haylee and Tonayr spent every moment on the ground curled up in each other. His dragon was as happy as possible under the circumstances, and Jared tried to share her enthusiasm. He could feel the affection she had for Tonayr, could feel the emotions getting stronger and growing deeper every day, and he saw the way the black dragon’s eyes followed her around, how they went a soft warm amber whenever they shared a moment.  
  
 _Jared._ Haylee nudged him with her mind. _What are you waiting for?_  
  
He didn’t have to ask to know what she meant. He looked over to where Jensen was sitting on Tonayr’s back. He was the epitome of a Rider, sitting relaxed in the saddle, his body moving in sync with the small movements when Tonayr flapped his wings.  
  
 _I don’t know if I want him because of who I think he should be, or because of who he is. And yes, I remember that you told me not to put him on a pedestal because I might not like what I’ll find._  
  
 _I’m not going to say I told you so,_ Haylee said gently. _And while he might not live up to the hero status you created for him, he’s still a good man._  
  
 _He treated me like crap._  
  
 _Are you really still sulking because of what happened in the Golden Boar?_  
  
 _Easy for you to say, Tonayr courted you. Jensen… I don’t even know what he wants from me._  
  
 _I think he’s still trying to figure that out as well._  
  
 _Since when are you on his side anyway?_ Jared asked. He wondered if it was just because of Tonayr.  
  
 _I’m not on his side_ , Haylee said annoyed. _But Tonayr let me feel his pain. It’s real Jared, as real as ours._  
  
 _I just…_ Jared broke off. He honestly wasn’t sure what to think. He pushed their link wide open and let Haylee feel his insecurity, the doubts gnawing at him, the uncertainty of his own feelings. Yes, he wanted Jensen, but was it because of the physical attraction or the picture of him he’d dreamed up as a boy that still lingered in his mind? _I don’t know myself, Haylee, and I don’t know if I’m in any state to make a decision._  
  
 _Jared, you’ve always followed your heart. No matter what rational thought dictated, you always let your heart lead. You should trust it. I know your heart, it is a good heart._  
  
Jared smiled and pressed his hands down on her warm scales. _I don’t know what I did to deserve you._  
  
He could feel Haylee preen. He was just about to tell her not to get smug, when their attention was called by Chris and Kahleya. Their call went out as one and Haylee immediately pushed the information through to him.  
  
There was a fight going on in the mountains to their left.  
  
Immediately, the dragons fell into battle formation,Tonayr flying lead, while Kahleya and Shayleen took flank. Haylee and Codey made up the rear, drawn close together, giving the formation the form of an asymmetrical rhombus. It was a testament to the hard training they had put Codey and Felicia through, that they almost seamlessly fell in line.  
  
Haylee and Jared kept their link open as wide as they could and the dragons started to project their thoughts non-stop. Before, Jared hadn’t thought it was possible to reach this level of communication, he’d certainly never experienced anything like it, but Chris had told him, with enough training the dragons could form their own temporary link between their minds. It was unlike the Riders' bond, no emotions passed, but it enabled them to share everything they saw or heard.  
  
Below them, a small skirmish was taking place in the sharp outcrops of the mountains. When they flew closer, Jared saw that it wasn’t two parties fighting, but rather a group of bandits attacking people who were clearly not soldiers fighting tooth and nail to survive. They outnumbered the bandits at least two to one, but even from up here, Jared could see that most of them had no idea how to properly wield the weapons in their hands.  
  
Jensen gave the order to descend and break formation. In a close combat situation like the one below, the dragons couldn’t use their fire, and shooting from their backs was much too dangerous. The Riders would have to dismount, and fight on foot with the dragons watching their backs. Dragons preferred to fight in the air, their natural habitat, but they could be quite destructive on the ground as well.  
  
 _What are these people thinking, wandering through the mountains?_ Haylee wondered while they landed on a rock close to the fighting.  
  
 _They’re refugees,_ Jared told her, jumping forwards to the bandit closest to him and engaging him in a fight. Even though he’d first trained with Felicia, then with Dani and Chris, Jared had feared he’d be out of practice. But the moves came back to him without thought, his muscles remembering every lunge and parry. Haylee was crouching behind him, spewing fire whenever she had a clear shot.  
  
The dragons' presence was enough to scare the bandits off, and when Jared had killed the man in front of him, he saw that Dani and Felicia had ordered their dragons into the air, pursuing the ones trying to escape.  
  
Chris was fighting the last bandits, but he and Kahleya clearly had everything under control. Jared searched for Jensen and Tonayr, before he saw the black dragon flying up the mountain, chasing a few stragglers without Jensen on his back. Jared looked around in panic; why had Jensen sent Tonayr off without him?  
  
Haylee felt his panic and nudged him as soon as she’d found him.  
  
Jensen was balancing on a mountain outcrop, three hundred feet drop below him and before him stood a bandit holding a child to his chest, clearly trying to use it to protect himself.  
  
Jared cursed and climbed Haylee’s back.  
  
 _Get me over there._  
  
Haylee swung herself into the air, heading towards Jensen with quick strokes. The distance wasn’t great, she’d be there with a few strokes of her wings, but then everything seemed to happen at once.  
  
The bandit’s eyes widened when he spotted Haylee, Jensen looked over his shoulder, saw them approaching, but spun back when the bandit flung the child over the edge. Jensen didn’t even hesitate, two fast steps brought him to the edge and then he jumped after the child, flinging one of his safety ropes up in the air as he fell.  
  
Haylee leaned forward, all Jared could think was _fasterfasterfaster_ but Haylee wouldn’t be able to reach him in time without crashing into the ground. Jared didn’t think, just unfastened his own rope, slid down Haylee’s side, attached the carabiner to the underside of her belly harness and jumped.  
  
He stretched his body and reached for Jensen’s rope. He saw him fall, child clutched to his chest, coat tied to his leg to billow out and help brace his fall. Jared caught up, knew Haylee would need to pull up soon if she didn’t want to crash, reached out further, missing it twice before he finally got a hold of the rope and wrestled the carabiner into his own belt.  
  
The moment he snapped the metal shut, Haylee pulled up but the ground was approaching dangerously close. Jared started wrapping the rope up over his foot, but they were still dangling too low, Jensen would get dragged over the mountain. But then there was a quick pull from above and Haylee rolled herself over while trying to gain height, wrapping Jared’s rope around her body and pulling them up.  
  
A shock went through the rope and there was a shout from Jensen, and then they were up and out of the deep ravine.  
  
“You okay?” Jared yelled down, fearing for the worst.  
  
“Just peachy,” Jensen shouted and he sounded too annoyed to be seriously hurt. Jared breathed out a huge sigh of relief.  
  
A shadow glided over him and then Tonayr was there, flying below him and gathering Jensen and the child up in his claws. Jared could hear Jensen make a fuss, but Tonayr just roared in outrage.  
  
 _He’s very angry, huh?_ Jared said to Haylee.  
  
 _And rightly so. If you ever pull a stunt like that without me, I’m gonna tan your hide._  
  
They flew down to where the fight had taken place. Chris was organizing the people into groups: those who took care of the wounded and those who buried the dead.  
  
Jared had pulled himself up along the rope until he was hanging from the harness on Haylee’s belly and he jumped down when she landed, waiting for Tonayr to touch ground. The black dragon was literally steaming when he landed, and Jared thought the only thing keeping him for roaring at Jensen some more was the scared child in his Rider’s arms.  
  
Jared watched Jensen limp over to a woman running for them, obviously the child’s mother. He waited until the kid was safely in her arms before he stomped towards Jensen. He suddenly realized he was just as angry as Tonayr.  
  
“What the hell were you thinking?” he hissed at Jensen as soon as they were standing across from each other. “You don’t jump down a fucking mountain when your dragon is nowhere in sight.”  
  
Jared felt a warm presence behind him, knew Tonayr was probably echoing every word he said.  
  
“That was fucking reckless, I almost didn’t get you and - what the fuck are you smiling about?”  
  
Because Jensen, the bastard, was actually grinning at him. His face was covered in dirt, but his eyes were glinting and he practically radiated happiness.  
  
“Relax,” he said as if he hadn’t just narrowly avoided certain death, “I saw you coming and I knew you guys would catch me. Haylee is an excellent diver and you have great coordination, so really there was never any danger.”  
  
Jared stared, open-mouthed, as Jensen limped past him. “You trusted me to save you? Just like that?  
  
Jensen tilted his head, seemed to ponder this question for the first time. “Guess I did. And you,” he continued in Tonayr’s direction, “stop playing the mother hen, I’m fine. Splitting up was the right tactical decision and you know it. And I’m not hurt, I fucking sprained my ankle a bit, I’ll be as good as new tomorrow. Stop being such a worry wart.”  
  
Tonayr stared after his Rider who was heading over to Chris, then he looked back at Haylee and Jared. He bared his teeth in a smile, huffed, and then followed his Rider.  
  
 _He says Jensen is back,_ Haylee told Jared.  
  
Jared shook his head. _That was the most reckless thing I have ever seen someone do._  
  
Haylee tilted her head. _Or just very well calculated. Not to mention incredibly brave._  
  
Jared rolled his eyes. _Yeah, I get it._  
  
 _Do you?_ she asked sharply.  
  
Jared watched Jensen clap Chris’ shoulder, still grinning slightly, the glow of a victorious soldier radiating from his every pore. He went to talk to the people then, give comfort where needed and help to gather their belongings together. He completely ignored his own limp, just looking after the others.  
  
 _Yeah,_ Jared said. _I think I do._  
  


 

  
The stories the refugees told were horrifying. The army and the Riders were bleeding the farms for supplies, taxes had risen and were to be paid in livestock. The people were starving, reaching the end of their rope and there was no sign of improvement to come. The fight raged bitterly up in the north and down in the south.  
  
The Yellow Wing in the East had to send half their dragons up north, leaving the borders unprotected and luring the bandits deeper into Nereya.  
  
The Red Wing had moved almost completely down south, but even with the reinforcements, their fighters were struggling. The people had decided to leave Nereya and head for the plains before they all starved in the coming winter.  
  
Some of them wanted to come back with them, when they realized that Jensen and his Lieutenants were returning to Nereya, but Dani shook her head.  
  
“It will take a while for things to change and we definitely won’t be able to solve the food problem before winter hits. If you have a place to spend the winter, you should go there.”  
  
The leader of the group nodded. “My cousin is a merchant in Beret, we can find shelter there.”  
  
Dani nodded. “Do it. You’ll hear the news when it will be safe to return.”  
  
Lieutenant Morgan, the leader of the Green Wing, was Jensen’s old Wingleader and would be on their side no matter what. So would Ferris, and if she decided to side with them, the Red Wing would probably follow her. Hammond, the Leader of the whole Red Wing, was one of Pellegrino's puppets and didn’t have much respect within the Wings. It probably wouldn’t be too hard to get rid of him.  
  
“When the people see that we’re not starting a war, but fighting to end one, maybe the Senate will pardon us without a fight,” Chris said.  
  
“You think?” Dani asked scornfully.  
  
Chris shrugged his shoulders. “If we act fast enough, they'll have a hard time banning us again after we've won a few battles. There are a few Senators around who didn’t want us out back then, and will support us and if Captain Hodge is on our side…”  
  
“He is,” Jared said. “Aldis showed me the letters. His dad hates Pellegrino and what he does.”  
  
“Still, even if we get a pardon, we still have to get rid of Pellegrino,” Dani said.  
  
All eyes turned to Jensen. He was looking in the flames with an eerie smile. “That shouldn’t be a problem. Mark hates me too much to just let it go. If we do get a pardon, I’m sure I’ll be able to goad him into starting a fight. And if he doesn’t… I didn’t want to start a civil war last time, but I will now if I have to.”  
  
They sat in silence around the fire, everyone lost in their own thoughts, before Dani sent them off to bed.  
  
“If we take off at sunrise, we might be able to reach Nereya before it gets dark.”  
  
  
This night, Haylee didn’t go to Tonayr. Instead, she took Jared under her wings, and they just lay there with each other, sharing space and thoughts.  
  
 _Do you think we’ll be able to make it?_ Jared asked her.  
  
 _Yes,_ she said, and there was no doubt in her mind. _After seeing Jensen today… He is the man who can turn this around._  
  
 _Yeah, I think so too,_ Jared said and for the first time since that morning in the Golden Boar when he’d realized exactly how broken Jensen was, he was sure that he could be the man again Nereya needed. Even the man that Jared needed.  
  
  
The next morning, Jensen looked at him intently over the fire, searching his face for a clue to where they were standing. Jared hesitated, but Dani was calling for take off, so he went to Haylee without saying a word. Jensen’s eyes followed him, searched him out over the course of the day, and Jared knew he’d felt the shift. He wasn’t sure what Haylee had shared with Tonayr and what he in turn had shared with Jensen, but he was sure that Jensen knew something.  
  
They reached the edge of the mountains when the sun was setting. They would camp in the safety of the grey rocks one more night, but for now, they stood in horror and watched Nereya’s valleys sprawl out before their eyes. The fields were brown and burnt where growing crops should have been, and an ashy cloud was hanging deep over the land to the south.  
  
For a moment, all Jared could feel was despair. It looked too much like his hometown, too much like Jared’s life burned to ashes.  
  
Then Jensen was there, standing by his side, shoulder brushing against Jared’s. He didn’t say anything, while Jared stared out over the burnt land and deserted dwellings. He didn’t know how a land could fall into such a terrible state in just a few weeks, but war had fallen into Nereya.  
  
“We’re too late, aren’t we?” he asked with a hollow voice.  
  
“No, we’re not,” Jensen reassured him.  
  
Jared looked over to him, took in the way Jensen had squared his shoulders and pushed his chin out, his hand resting lightly on the handle of his sword. Tonayr was standing beside him, wings raised but still folded, eyes scanning the horizon attentively, breath swelled and snout open, ready to release a gust of fire at any moment.  
  
There was a gleam in Jensen’s eyes, the same one he’d had during the fight the day before, and his posture screamed commanding officer. Jensen wasn’t the hero Jared had made him out to be, he was just a man. But he’d found his way back to everything that had made people see him as a hero, capable of everything, and after the fight yesterday, Jared just thought he might be.  
  
He looked back over his shoulder, saw Dani and Chris in a casual stance surveying the land, grim lines around their mouths, but no sign of despair anywhere. Felicia’s eyes were wide, but even she didn’t look hopeless. There were only five of them, three more friends waiting up north, and no one knew how many more would side with them. But it would be enough. Because it had to be enough.  
  
Haylee stepped in closer and raised her own wings up, and Jared could feel her approval and her enthusiasm.  
  
“You’re right,” he said to the land in front of him. “We’re not too late.”  
  
  
  
  
  


 

  


 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Originally I had planned this story in three arcs: Jared, Jensen and their fight to take back Nereya. However I soon realized that I wouldn’t be able to write that story in the time I had and I also realized that they were two different stories entirely. While the third arc is a story about war, fighting and heroics, death and rebuilding, this story is about Jared and Jensen coming to terms with their lives.  
> I do plan on writing the third arc as a sequel to this story one day, for now, I hope you’ll be satisfied with this.
> 
>  
> 
> Thank you for reading, comments are much appreciated :)


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